Indiana claims the nation’s best cities for families

It’s family time in Indiana

Looking for a place to put down roots for your growing (or future) family? Apparently, Indiana is the place to do it. According to a new ranking, the state claims the nation’s two best cities for families.

America’s best cities for families

According to a new ranking from Apartment List, Fishers, Indiana, is America’s best place for families. Carmel, another Indiana city just 9 miles down the road, came in at No. 2. The site’s rankings take into account housing affordability, educational quality, general child-friendliness and safety, which is based on violent crime data from the FBI.

According to Apartment List’s Angelina Bader, “A booming suburb in Indiana, Fishers boasts a growing job market and entrepreneurial spirit, a redeveloped downtown, and good schools. To make things even better, the city has a low cost of living, ranking in the top 10 for being one of the most affordable cities for families.”

After Indiana, Texas dominated much of the ranking’s top 10 list, with Flower Mound, Cedar Park, League City and Mansfield making the grade. Other cities in the top 10 include San Ramon, California; Naperville, Illinois; Newton, Massachusetts; and O’Fallon, Missouri.

Guide to buying a home: Young families

Santa doesn’t come to Santa Cruz

When it comes to places you’ll want to avoid, Santa Cruz, California, takes the cake.

The city came in as the worst city for families, largely due to its high crime rates. The central California town has a whopping 6,284 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents.

Yearning for small town living? These are the best little cities to raise a family in

Also low on the list were Florida’s Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Both had extremely low rankings for safety, child-friendliness and overall housing affordability.

Get today’s mortgage rates

Are you looking to buy a home in one of these top cities for families? Then shop around and see what mortgage rates you qualify for today.