Best Cities for Families: Where Schools and Safety Both Deliver
Published April 14, 2026 · FBI UCR + NCES/EDFacts
Most “best cities for families” lists rank on one variable and call it a day — usually schools, sometimes safety. Families need both. These cities clear a floor on both FBI crime data and NCES school performance.
Top Cities for Families (Safety + Schools, Both 60+)
| Rank | City | Safety | Schools | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | 79 | 70 | 74.5 |
| 2 | Omaha, NE | 78 | 70 | 74.0 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | 77 | 70 | 73.5 |
| 4 | Scottsdale, AZ | 74 | 69 | 71.5 |
| 5 | West Palm Beach, FL | 74 | 69 | 71.5 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | 71 | 71 | 71.0 |
| 7 | Miami, FL | 72 | 70 | 71.0 |
| 8 | Orlando, FL | 73 | 69 | 71.0 |
| 9 | Cary, NC | 70 | 71 | 70.5 |
| 10 | Surprise, AZ | 72 | 68 | 70.0 |
| 11 | Edmond, OK | 69 | 70 | 69.5 |
| 12 | Glendale, AZ | 69 | 70 | 69.5 |
| 13 | Bend, OR | 68 | 69 | 68.5 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | 66 | 69 | 67.5 |
| 15 | Las Vegas, NV | 65 | 70 | 67.5 |
| 16 | Lakeland, FL | 66 | 69 | 67.5 |
| 17 | Meridian, ID | 66 | 69 | 67.5 |
| 18 | Arvada, CO | 67 | 68 | 67.5 |
| 19 | Peoria, AZ | 65 | 70 | 67.5 |
| 20 | Overland Park, KS | 64 | 70 | 67.0 |
Why Both Metrics Matter Together
A city with an A on schools but a D on safety isn’t a good family fit — parents who move for the schools end up worrying about the park. A city with an A on safety but a C on schools works for some families and not others. Scoring well on both narrows the list to places where parents don’t have to compromise.
How to Choose From This List
- Open each city profile. The composite is a starting point; check air quality, hospitals, and fiscal health too.
- Look at your age-specific needs. Elementary-age kids need high-quality nearby elementary schools. High schoolers need AP access and graduation rates.
- Consider commute radius. A city with strong schools 45 minutes from your job may be worse for family time than a B-grade city 10 minutes away.
Related Rankings
FAQ
What makes a city good for families?
Safety and schools are the two federal-data variables most families prioritize. Parks, childcare access, and hospital proximity matter too, but crime and school quality are the reliable leading indicators in the FBI and NCES data.
Which US city is the best for raising a family?
By combined FBI safety + NCES school performance, Anchorage, AK ranks at the top of the MoveScore dataset with a safety score of 79 and average school score of 70.
Are suburbs always better than cities?
Not necessarily. Many mid-sized cities score as high as their surrounding suburbs on both safety and schools. The MoveScore data shows that city-vs-suburb generalizations often fail at the ZIP-code level — look at the specific place, not the metro.