Two Iowa cities ranked among the top 100 best places in the United States to raise a family, according to personal finance website WalletHub.
The rankings were based on 45 metrics spanning family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, and affordability, using data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for family life.
Here’s what to know.
How did Iowa cities place in WalletHub’s best places to raise a family rankings?
Cedar Rapids ranked 34th out of 182 with a score of 58.67, and Des Moines came in at 78th with a score of 52.80.
Both cities scored high in the affordability ranking, with Cedar Rapids ranking 11th and Des Moines 14th out of 182 cities. Cedar Rapids ranked No. 18 in the health and safety category, while Des Moines ranked No. 75 in the same category.
Both cities struggled in the education and childcare category, with Cedar Rapids ranking 122nd and Des Moines 168th. In that category, South Burlington, Vermont and Fremont, California were ranked No. 1 and No. 2.
Here are Cedar Rapids and Des Moines full rankings:
Cedar Rapids
Des Moines
Kids make up a notable share of Des Moines’ population, with 23% of residents under 18 — slightly higher than the national share of 21.5%, according to the U.S. Census data. Iowa’s capital city has about 214,000 residents overall, with a median home value of $194,700 (the national average is $332,700).
In Cedar Rapids, which has a population of roughly 138,000, about 20.8% of residents are under 18, and the median home value is $187,100.
What are the top 10 cities for raising a family?
Here are the top 10 cities in the U.S. for raising a family, according to WalletHub.
“[Fremont, CA] boasts one of the highest median family incomes after adjusting for the cost of living, at over $137,000, and it has the second-lowest share of families living in poverty as well as the fifth-lowest share receiving food stamps,” WalletHub wrote. “In addition, nearly 50% of families in Fremont have children under age 18, one of the highest rates in the country.”
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Two Iowa cities crack list of best places to raise a family
Reporting by Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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