Southern California has 3 of the nation's top family-friendly cities, study finds
Three Southern California cities top the nation's best place to raise a family list, according to a just-released study.
WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on criteria like affordability, schools, health-care systems, safety, and fun and recreation.
Rounding the top 10 list, was Irvine at number three, San Diego at eight and Huntington Beach at 10.
Irvine ranked number one in health and safety, with WalletHub finding that the Orange County city has the lowest violent crime rate per capita and is low on property crimes. It also has top-ranked schools with a lot of summer camp opportunities and has the third-lowest separation and divorce rate in the country.
San Diego scored high in family fun, education and childcare while Huntington Beach ranked high in education and childcare and had a high socioeconomics rating.
The number one city to raise a family, according to WalletHub's research, is Fremont, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area.
It came out on top for its high socioeconomic and education rankings. Median family incomes, after adjusting for the cost of living, were close to $122,000 and a low share of families live in poverty. Quality schools, healthcare, and an abundance of parkland attributed to its top ranking.
In all, 182 cities were evaluated in the 2024 study. Los Angeles made the list at 85, Long Beach 102, Anaheim 104 and San Bernardino came in at 177.
