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Comments

• It would be very helpful if you actually posted the scorings for each of the cities in all of the categories. That way it would be more meaningful for those of us that might place lower emphasis on some categories, and higher emphasis on others.

  Posted by: Karla on September 15, 12:44pm

• We are thrilled to see that you ranked Burlington, VT #1 as BEST Place to Raise a Family! Please use www.findandgoseek.net - Vermont's Insider Guide to Kid Friendly Fun to see why the locals love raising kids here. There is so much to do!
  

  Posted by: Dana Freeman on September 15, 1:22pm

• This is a completely pointless waste of space...this so called "survey" is no more than a "fluff" piece with the smell of an underlying adgenda...underscored by the fact that they do not tell us:
  1) what were the criteria to identify the 100 noteworthy American cities
  2) What were the 30 factors that parents deemed important
  3) what parents were used to deem the importance of the 30 factors above
  4) What are the actual rankings of the cities listed
  5) Comprehensive? Prove it!
  I find it hard to believe that out of all the suburban localities in Virginia, including the wealtiest county in the united states, you only picked Richmond as a location to survey. Richmond is a backwater hick-town compared to places like Fairfax or Great Falls. And Honolulu? Did you even consider Hana? or Kihe? Princeville? Or Ewa? Obviously not but Honolulu...not a good choice considering that Waikiki is the bustelling city of Honolulu which is rife with crime, prostitution and homelessness. And did you ignore cities in Colorado like Durango or Silverton?
  Reading something like this is like me saying that the color "red" is the best color in the world because I rounded up 30 of the best colors and using 100 different criteria, determined that Red is the best color....does that make sense to you? Of course not, same with this survey! You do a disservice to your readers by not giving them facts instead of opinions.
  Ed

  Posted by: Ed on September 15, 3:43pm

• I agree with Karla's posting. When families look for this information, categories such education, crime and schools spending may have more impact than those cities that may have been hurt in rankings because of the number of fast food chains. Numbers are relative. I would welcome seeing more of the rankings if at all possible to help give direction.

  Posted by: Scott on September 15, 10:59pm

• I would have to say this seems a bit awkward and you really should post more info on how you are weighing the factors because I have been to many of these cities and some of the lower ones I would definately rather raise my children in than many of the top reasons. Im curious is your factoring in how inportant some of the factors are as compared to others.

  Posted by: victor gonzales on September 16, 12:54am

• I agree with Karla's comments, and I'd add that the study results also ought to make clear whether "cities proper" were the focus of the study, or metropolitan areas.
  
  For example -- Hartford, CT. One of the big attractions of living in the Hartford metro is that even though the area is boring, it's a great place to raise kids (great schools, access to art and recreation, etc.)...as long as you don't live in the city of Hartford itself.

  Posted by: MikeTheActuary on September 16, 6:53am

• I find these rankings quite misleading. Some of the cities you ranked (both high and low) are so large with many individual neighborhoods within the city that someone's experience raising a child in one part of the city is going to be vastly different than another's experience in a part of the city a mere mile or two away. Additionally, one's income bracket is going to matter. I can assure you that if your household income is under a certain amount, you will not enjoy raising your children in Burlington, VT.

  Posted by: john on September 16, 8:19am

• The #1 is a joke...I lived there, and they left out the high home prices, even higher taxes and the fact there are very few good paying jobs.

  Posted by: Brian on September 16, 8:44am

• Crime, environment, health, economics, housing, these are universal issues. Seniors look at these same issues when deciding where to retire.

  Posted by: Carlos G. on September 16, 9:28am

• I would like to know more about this study. Toledo ranks very low, but is a great city full of wonderful things for children. We have a world famous Zoo and Art Museum, one of the best library systems, an extensive park system with many children's and family activities and our soon to be re-opened hands on science museum. In regards to actual health issues, we have state of the art facilities at more than one hospital that specializes in pediatrics. I would like to see the actual data that was used to determine Toledo to be so far down the list.

  Posted by: Jennifer Smith on September 16, 10:32am

• I lived most of my life in Burlington. The quality of life there was tops as compared to other parts of this country I have lived in. I received an excellent education there, scholastically as well as life.

  Posted by: David E on September 16, 10:17pm

• well, you can tell that all of the negative comments were left by people jealous that their city wasn't on top. haha to all you in the lower 50! Seriously, who cares....obviously you live someplace you like--if you don't, then maybe it is time to leave?

  Posted by: emily on September 17, 10:43pm

• The cities that are normally the fastest growing (Las Vegas, Phx) are the worst, and dying rural cities (Fargo) are the best.
  
  Go figure....

  Posted by: Jackov on September 21, 2:07pm

• Jersey City, NJ and Washington, DC in the top 20? You have got to be kidding me. I don't have to wait for you to reveal what factors you used or how you used them. I can tell you this study is flawed just by looking at the rankings.

  Posted by: FR on September 21, 2:45pm

• Being from the Detroit area, I am amazed that Detroit is even in the top 100. This is way over rated.

  Posted by: Jim on September 21, 3:34pm

• Don't hold your breath waiting for CH to reveal its processes or methodologies. Kill the suspense now: this study is flawed as shown by their rankings. Honolulu at no. 7 is somewhat surprising. But Yonkers, Jersey City, NYC and DC in the top 20? You've got to be kidding me! And Newark, NJ in the top 50? Have any of the people that performed this study ever BEEN to Newark? Oakland, even at 71, appears to be high on the list. CH either had on rose-colored glasses or blindfolds when it conducted this study. Seriously, try again.

  Posted by: FR on September 21, 4:05pm

• I live in Phoenix and I agree with Children's Health listing Phoenix at #93. Phoenix has become a trailerpark ghetto for low-lifes from the midwest and the south to move here. We have an extremely high violent crime rate, we were ranked #340 out of 400 cities for safety and many teachers in Phoenix-area public schools are pedophiles, men AND women alike, who prey on their students. About a year ago, we had a female teacher in the Paradise Valley School District arrested for her sexual encounters with a male student. Plus the Phoenix Police allowed a right-wing extremist to bring a machine gun in the vicinity of President Obama's speech to veterans on Veterans' Day. The man who brought that gun has ties to a fanatical preacher in Tempe who wishes death on Obama. So yes, Phoenix deserves to be at the bottom for healthy living for children.

  Posted by: SoonToBeExArizonan on September 21, 9:54pm

• Ed.... Are you from the #100 city?!?! You must be from Detroit to be this upset! Hopefully next year's rankings will be more satisfying!

  Posted by: QuiteConcerned... on September 23, 12:43pm

• Are the authors on CRACK??? I am living in Jersey City and trust me it is not anywhere you want to bring your kids. The crime, cops getting shot left and right... I can't even bring my kids out after dark for fear of being robbed. And let's not get started on car theft rates and how Jersey City's test scores are far lower than the New Jersey average. This list is ridiculous.

  Posted by: Marissa on September 24, 3:48pm

• I live in one of the lowest rank cities and I have to agree with this survey. I have a very difficult time finding anything education to do with my young son and the city I grew up in ranks in the top 15 and there is so much more to do there - which is why I'm moving us there next year for him to get a proper education.
  I too am curious what was all considered for this study. It appears acurate for some cities but others I had thought would be further down than they are.

  Posted by: DW on September 24, 5:15pm

• Own a hip & healthy kids' cafe near Madison, WI (www.beansproutscafe.com) and very excited to see Madison ranked as #2. The family friendly (and health-conscious) atmosphere is the main reason we opened our first cafe in the area.
  
  The article gives a good hit list for researching locations for future cafes!

  Posted by: kelly on September 25, 1:24pm

• Own a hip & healthy kids' cafe near Madison, WI (www.beansproutscafe.com) and very excited to see Madison ranked as #2. The family friendly (and health-conscious) atmosphere is the main reason we opened our first cafe in the area.
  
  The article gives a good hit list for researching locations for future cafes!

  Posted by: Kelly on September 25, 1:25pm

• I think you may have posted the list backwards! I live in Scottsdale AZ (Phoenix area #93) but am originally from NYC. My husband grew up in Yonkers (#10). There is no way anyone in their right mind would believe Yonkers is a better place to raise children than Phoenix. Would loved to see the category ratings to see what could have possibly pushed Yonkers into the Top 10 - most can't get away from there fast enough!

  Posted by: Allison on September 26, 10:46am

• Wow! This list is a perfect example of why I hate lists like these. Our family lives in Boston and while resources are wonderful from health care to leisure activities, not a day goes by that I don't wish that we could escape the crime, violence and congestion of the city. I guess it's all a matter of preferences. Ask a hundred families and you'd probably get a hundred different responses as to where the "best" place is.

  Posted by: Kevin on September 28, 12:13pm

• Please re-title this article! It should be called Random Cities We Think Might Be Good For Kids. Come on, how's New York even a city? That's a megalopolis. I live in Orlando, and even though there's growing crime and education is poor, there are several places that are OK for kids.

  Posted by: G Lopez on October 9, 9:30am

• I understand Soon to be ExArizonan's point. I'm 7 months pregnant as of now and live in Phoenix and seeing how low they scored on the list scared the daylights out of me!!!! Teachers don't like giving their students homework, schools are crowded, healthcare is a huge hassle, and there isn't much stuff here for kids to do. We should be number 1 on the teen pregnancy, pedofile, sex offender, and illegal immigrants lists though. I'm praying to be out of here before my child is school age!!!!

  Posted by: M Hendrix on October 10, 2:18pm

• We live in a great family oriented suburb in the Cleveland-Akron Ohio region. We have a low crime rate, with excellent schools, highly educated and high income residents with excellent midwest wholesome family values. This community is incredible for families. These rankings are not a true reflection of reality. There are tremendous family oriented communities around the entire country that have not been listed or have been overshadowed by a larger city as a poor place to live. I would not take the rankings as a through reflection of all great family towns.

  Posted by: Paul from Montville TWP Ohio on October 20, 6:35pm

• Ok, this list is ridiculous. Not ONE city in Connecticut is on this list? I lived in Modesto..., isn't Modesto allegedly "ground zero" for the current housing crisis and is also the car theft capital of the country? As I said,...not ONE city in Connecticut? Who gathered the data for this survey? ACORN? You know what,..I'm actually glad there isn't any Connecticut city on here,...we're happy to to keep the best state with the best cities for raising kids all to ourselves. If anyone treats these rankings as credible, then I hope they enjoy raising kids in Richmond, VA...(RICHMOND?!?!?!? Doesn't Richmond consistently rank in the top five for murder rates in the country each year), ...or Modesto...or WASHINGTON D.C.?!?!? (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?), El Paso?!?!? Whatever.

  Posted by: Jim H. on October 20, 9:21pm

• I will never buy this magazine. The editors should know better.
  I am from Yonkers and proud of it and (some of) the schools are getting much better... but there is NO WAY it deserves to be in a top 100... not yet.

  Posted by: Perplexed parent on October 21, 10:51pm

• To Jackov:
  Fargo isn't a dying place. I have lived here for many years. I moved away and came back just to raise my children. It isn't a "dying rural city". We have over nearly 200,00 in our metropolitan area and we growing every year. You should look into your facts about this "dying rural city" before you comment about them. I wouldn’t want to raise my children any where else. We have very low unemployment and the work ethic is like no other. I am glad that I am in a clean and healthy place for my children to gain those good American values. Go Fargo!!!
  

  Posted by: Terra on October 22, 7:32am

• I want to extend my sincere gratitude for all who have posted their comments on this article. I consider myself now forewarned to NOT take this survey seriously.
  
  I was initially excited when CH talked about this list on the Today show the other morning, since I live in Charlotte, NC, and am growing desperate to relocate. I should have realized the unreliability of this survey at first glance.
  
  For one, I am shocked Charlotte ranked #51, above San Antonio, TX, since I grew up in SA, and had a wonderful childhood there. This is more than I can say for Charlotte, whose economy is almost completely co-dependent on what happens with BoA and now Wells Fargo. Most of the public schools are a joke. We now have an education lottery! But the first people to lose their jobs in a suffering economy are the teachers. The roads are some of the worst in the nation, and the safest neighborhoods to live in are too expensive for a family on a median income. What's to do in Charlotte? That's a good question, if you don't have too much spending cash. Bars and clubs Uptown Charlotte can be a real treat, if you're single, and the music scene can be great, again, if you've got the dough. Crime here is ridiculous. I met an ex-cop working at a hardware store who told me she quit the force because Charlotte is one of the "bloodiest" cities she'd ever lived in. There is a beautiful Children's Theater Uptown, but it's run like the mafia, where the dedicated and talented employees are treated and paid like sanitation workers. Well, if you like art, there is the one and only Arts District, where the art on the walls of the limited number of tiny galleries rarely change, is embedded in a 'transitional' neighborhood where prostitutes, homeless and drug addicts still roam the streets, and yet the cost of a house in that neighborhood is around $400K. Let's not forget the low-income brood that get thrown out of the cool spots of town to make way for high-priced condos that, once built, sit empty for months on end. Condominium vacancy rates are past 60%. Charlotte's economy is scary at best.
  
  San Antonio on the other hand is a thriving and festive town, with 4 military bases, USAA, plenty of jobs to go around, the Alamo, the Riverwalk, Sea World of Texas, Six Flags, and the cost of living is nothing to balk at. Actually, I might consider moving back there now that I know not to trust these 'surveys' that a panel of out-of-touch journalists probably concocted from a few hours of googling.
  
  I think CH needs to pull this 'report', and do some more homework. These comments are a great place to start!

  Posted by: Jamie W. on October 22, 9:38am

• to those knocking jersey city, wake up. This city is going through massive changes and you are only seeing the beginning of the revolution here. What happened downtown will be carrying across the city, as can be seen with the Journal Square project.
  
  I am a product of Jersey City education from elementary school on, and now i am a law school graduate and you know what, Jersey City Education did that for me, and i can give you a list of many more successful friends of mine.... Visualizza altro
  
  There are some bad sections, but tell me which city does not. This is an urban city, but dont worry, suburbia has enough cocaine to sell to everyone else. Those kids in suburbia have nothing better to do and i wonder why drug consumption is higher in those towns. Statistically proven. Funny.
  
  This city offers everything. You want New York? Get on the PATH and say hello to it in 5 minutes. Good food? Pick a country and you got it. Entertainment? Open up the yellow pages or any jersey city blog and you will be baffled. This city teaches you diversity, hard work, and gives you everything you need at your doorstep.
  
  And if it is so bad, I wonder why so many professionals and middle/upper middle class families are moving in, that's right, families. I dont know what streets you walk, but i walk the streets of Jersey City and see progress, not regress. I see changes, positive ones. I see families on bikes, walks, taking their dog out, watching their kids play sports.
  
  It's ok though. People just dont like when an urban city can do well. It gets underneath their skin because that is supposed to be an oxymoron right? Urban means blood, violence, and hoodlums, now i remember. I think people need to relax and remember that nothing is perfect but for an urban city like Jersey City, population of 300,000+, with so much diversity it is making leaps and bounds. I dont say it. Statistics do. Does your city have a PGA golf course? Does your city attract business from Donald Trump? Does your city have the best public high school in the state? Does your city have luxury condos going up every week? Can you wake up and touch the skyline? Can you find 80+ nationalities in one city? I have a whole list of rhetorical questions i can ask.
  
  What i do know is that because i grew up in a blue collar environment, where i walk out the door and have the united nations in my classroom and playgrounds, i learned how to be a better person, how to be able to work with anyone and everyone, and i learned to appreciate and judge everyone for what they bring to the table and nothing else. i will always be grateful to this city i love, the city that has become the envy of everyone around us. You should ask the people that are coming into this city why they are. Im sure it's not because they want to hear what sirens and gunshots sound like."

  Posted by: Alberico on October 22, 12:17pm

• I agree that numbers would be helpful, but what I really want is a description of AT least the Top Ten, not just #1 on the list. Tell what makes these cities so great and why - I actually life in Louisville and have many friends in Lexington, bot of which made the list. And while I agree that both a great places to raise kids, I'm curious as to why Lex is #6 and we are #31 and what the differences and similarities are. This list is a good idea, but lamely executed.

  Posted by: Nicole G on October 22, 12:35pm

• I want to extend my sincere gratitude for all who have posted their comments on this article. I consider myself now forewarned to NOT take this survey seriously.

  Posted by: Jamie W. on October 22, 4:19pm

• No one who has ever been to either Jersey City or Newark would list them as a great place to raise a child. This is a total loss of credibility.

  Posted by: Thurman Hart on October 22, 6:31pm

• How does Jersey City get listed?
  Using your criterion:
  JC ranks 210th in the nation for unemployment, with an increase of 3.9% for the time frame examined.
  
  JC air failed to meet minimum EPA standards. In fact, the EPA ranks it as the 18th most polluted air in the country.
  
  17.9% of toddlers are obese.
  
  Infant mortality is 7.4 - or 16.7 if you're black.
  
  As of last year, 2% of all housing units in Jersey City were in foreclosure. 42% of all home loans in Jersey City had payments that exceeded 30% of income.
  
  The Jersey City school district has a 7% dropout rate for grades 9-12. Nationwide average is 3.9%.
  
  Jersey City is a bifurcated city. If you are rich enough, it's a nice place. If you aren't, then you are stuck. How did this make the list? It doesn't even make the list of top 100 places in Jersey. And I live in Jersey City.
  

  Posted by: Thurman Hart on October 22, 8:03pm

• To Alberico
  
  It’s funny, how just yesterday I was saying to myself. That I was thankful I had moved my family from JC to SW Virginia.
  Then I read your response and I have a few questions for you. First, would you and your children meet me on the corner of Bergen Ave and Wegman Parkway say about 8:30 pm so we can and hangout and enjoy the city. Second, do you think Donald Trump has visited any part of North St or Van Wagenen Ave to invest in any land and third,
  WHAT REVOLUTION?
  
  Your statements are just as faulty as the list. You are not a child so; don't use yourself as an example of how great the JC school system was?
  
  Please don’t think I hate JC. The contrary, I love JC and come back often but, to place it on the top of this list is wrong.
  
  

  Posted by: KartJC on October 23, 12:44pm

• You magazine has lost all credibility. Does anyone even look at what your computer spits out? Drive by shootings, drug dealing & gang wars that terrorize the many, many good people of Newark make it one of the WORST places in the US to raise a family.

  Posted by: Bill D. on October 24, 7:20pm

• Hello I check a last yr report from other study or survey in here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24713234/
  
  the city of virginia beach rank as a second place. I can say VA BEACH it is a great place to live, many things for the family to do, their plenty of jobs, houses are not that high.... suffolk it is another good area to live, and chesapeak to. I really think that depend the area because i live in jonkers ny long time and it is great but like every city it has bad areas to.

  Posted by: mary on October 26, 9:54pm

• VA beach is a great place to live, but the <a href="http://www.goldenrule.com">health insurance</a> rates are not necessarily as great!
  

  Posted by: andi on January 25, 3:11pm