Florida is famous for sunshine, beaches and family attractions, but a new national ranking suggests it may not be one of the best places to raise kids after all. In WalletHub’s latest study comparing 182 U.S. cities, the highest-ranked Florida city landed at just No. 49 nationwide. The personal finance company evaluated everything from housing affordability and school quality to health care and safety.
Here’s where Jacksonville ranked, and how it stacked up against other Florida cities.
What’s the best place to raise a family in the U.S.? See Map
What factors did WalletHub consider to rate best places to raise a family?
WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities to determine which cities “are most conducive to family life.”
Metrics used included:
What are the best places to raise a family?
WalletHub’s top 10 places to raise a family in 2026 are:
What are top-ranked places in Florida to raise a family? Where does Jacksonville rank?
Jacksonville ranked No. 117. Here’s the list of the top-ranked places in Florida to raise a family in 2026:
What score did Jacksonville receive as one of the best cities to raise a family?
Jacksonville received an overall score of 48.95, falling behind other major Florida cities. These Florida cities got better overall scores:
How did Jacksonville rank in the family fun category?
Jacksonville ranked 98 out of 182 other cities for the family fun category.
How did Jacksonville rank in the health and safety category?
Jacksonville ranked 137 out of 182 cities in the health and safety category.
How did Jacksonville rank in education and child care? How does it compare to other cities?
Jacksonville ranked 124 in the education and child care category, falling behind major Florida cities.
Here’s a look at how other Florida cities ranked:
How affordable is Jacksonville compared to other cities across the U.S.?
Jacksonville ranked 69th on affordability out of 182 cities. Here’s a look at where other major Florida cities ranked in affortability:
Additionally, Jacksonville ranked 131 on socioeconomics.
Tell us what you think: Is Florida a good place to raise a family?
Do you agree with WalletHub’s ranking of Florida cities? Tell us what you think in the survey below:
How did Florida rank in some of the metrics used by WalletHub?
It was a mixed bag for Florida in WalletHub’s study in the metrics used. Here are some highlights:
Doris Alvarez is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for The Florida Times-Union. You can get all of Jacksonville’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free Daily Briefing and News Alerts newsletters at jacksonville.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Top Florida cities to raise a family: Where does Jacksonville rank?
Reporting by Doris Alvarez Cea and Cheryl McCloud, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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