Bismarck Is the 6th-Best U.S. City to Raise a Family In
WalletHub compared 182 cities using 45 metrics, and Lincoln scored well on housing, schools, health care and recreation for families.
- WalletHub ranked 182 of the most populated U.S. cities for raising families using 45 key metrics including housing costs, school quality, and recreation opportunities. Madison, Wisconsin ranks 14th-best while Greensboro, North Carolina ranks 35th-worst.
- With approximately 11 percent of Americans relocating annually, families weigh job opportunities, proximity to loved ones, educational quality, safety, and adequate recreation when selecting new cities.
- Top-Ranked cities demonstrate economic strength: Tulsa offers the 23rd-shortest commute time, Madison shows robust wages and high air quality, and Bismarck maintains the third-lowest unemployment rate. Buffalo ranks 106th-best with the 12th-best air quality.
- Lower-Ranked cities like Greensboro and Winston-Salem face multiple constraints despite offering green space access. Tucson, ranked 38th-worst, has the seventh-lowest foreclosure rate yet struggles across broader family-raising metrics.
- Families must evaluate traffic patterns, weather, and green space access alongside wages and cost-of-living dynamics when choosing where to raise children. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted successful relocation requires balancing commute times, local economic conditions, and environmental quality.
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Journal Gazette & Times-Courier
Bismarck Is the 6th-Best U.S. City to Raise a Family In
Bismarck, N.D., is the 6th-best U.S. city for raising a family, according to a new WalletHub report that compared 182 of the most populated cities based on 45 key metrics, including the cost of housing, the quality of local school…
Tucson Is the 38th-Worst U.S. City to Raise a Family In
Tucson, Ariz., is the 38th-worst U.S. city for raising a family, according to a new WalletHub report that compared 182 of the most populated cities based on 45 key metrics, including the cost of housing, the quality of local school…
Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family in 2026
Families move often – in fact, the average American can expect to move an estimated 12 times in a lifetime. Plus, around 15 million Americans, or 4.5% of the population, moved in 2025. Moving can be a sign of opportunity, prompted by a new job or long-term wealth accumulation, but people may also move because of instability such as foreclosure or job loss. With families in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 45 key metric…
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