| The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family |
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| Friday, 06 June 2008 | |
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Find out where Jacksonville ranks among the best and worst places to raise a family. The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family 1. Honolulu, Hawaii 2. Virginia Beach, Virginia 3. Billings, Montana 4. Columbus, Georgia 5. San Diego, California 6. Des Moines, Iowa 7. Minneapolis, Minnesota 8. Madison, Wisconsin 9. Colorado Springs, Colorado 10. Santa Rosa, California 11. Wichita, Kansas 12. Los Angeles, California 13. Corona, California 14. Austin, Texas 15. Stamford, Connecticut 16. Omaha, Nebraska 17. Naperville, Illinois 18. Fort Wayne, Indiana 19. Springfield, Illinois 20. Boise, Idaho 21. Manchester, New Hampshire 22. South Bay Area, California 23. New York, New York 24. Fontana, California 25. Louisville, Kentucky 26. Plano, Texas 27. Oceanside, California 28. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 29. Sacramento, California 30. Ann Arbor, Michigan 31. Reno, Nevada 32. Las Vegas, Nevada 33. Lincoln, Nebraska 34. San Bernardino, California 35. Grand Rapids, Michigan 36. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina 37. Kansas City, Kansas 38. Fremont, California 39. Buffalo, New York 40. Berkeley, California 41. Cambridge, Massachusetts 42. Kansas City, Missouri 43. Waterbury, Connecticut 44. Syracuse, New York 45. Phoenix, Arizona 46. Albuquerque, New Mexico 47. Akron, Ohio 48. Boston, Massachusetts 49. Escondido, California 50. Fairfield, California 51. Antioch, California 52. Elgin, Illinois 53. Rochester, New York 54. Seattle, Washington 55. Tucson, Arizona 56. Santa Clarita, California 57. Denver, Colorado 58. Indianapolis, Indiana 59. Glendale, Arizona 60. Chicago, Illinois 61. Atlanta, Georgia 62. San Antonio, Texas 63. Mobile, Alabama 64. Concord, California 65. Denton, Texas 66. Coral Springs, Florida 67. San Francisco, California 68. Cedar Rapids, Iowa 69. El Paso, Texas 70. San Buenaventura, California 71. Worcester, Massachusetts 72. Baltimore, Maryland 73. Richmond, California 74. Lowell, Massachusetts 75. Portland, Oregon 76. Jacksonville, Florida 77. Fort Collins, Colorado 78. Orlando, Florida 79. Modesto, California 80. Montgomery, Alabama 81. Tampa, Florida 82. Salinas, California 83. Newport News, Virginia 84. Oakland, California 85. Augusta, Georgia 86. Fort Worth, Texas 87. Washington, D.C. 88. Tulsa, Oklahoma 89. Bellevue, Washington 90. Cincinnati, Ohio 91. McKinney, Texas 92. St. Louis, Missouri 93. Hayward, California 94. Midland, Texas 95. Sterling Heights, Michigan 96. Greensboro, North Carolina 97. Arlington, Texas 98. Alexandria, Virginia 99. Winston-Salem, North Carolina 100. Lexington, Kentucky
The 10 Worst Places to Raise a Family (from best to worst)
9. Dayton, Ohio 8. Corpus Christi, Texas 7. Flint, Michigan 6. Columbia, South Carolina 5. Waco, Texas 4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 3. Fayetteville, North Carolina 2. Beaumont, Texas 1. Clarksville, Tennessee Full article and ranking criteria: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24713234/ |
June 6, 2008, 8:37 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Too hilarious. And here I am in Columbia, SC, just having a baby boy in November. I hope and pray I can GTFOOH soon!
June 6, 2008, 8:39 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
kind of subjective dont you think? Behind LA and Vegas? What kind of families are they talking about? The worst list is obvious except Flint should be at the bottom.
June 6, 2008, 8:42 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
I'd like to know what made my current city of residence so low. I knew that I didn't like it here, but when I observe several publications making extremely negative measurements about Cola, it REALLY reinforces my opinion and judgement.
June 6, 2008, 9:00 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
All of these types of lists are subjective. Even Flint can be a great place to raise a family in certain circumstances. By the same token raising a family in Billings, Montana is not for everyone. I know I would prefer to raise a family in Philadelphia (one of the worst on the list) over Columbus, GA (the 4th best city, according to the rankings).
June 6, 2008, 9:15 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
finishing ahead of Jax...
#4 - Columbus, GA (huh?)
#11 - Wichita, Kansas
#23 - New York, NY (wow, what does this say about us?)
# 25 - Louisville, KY (similar to Jax in size and with a river running through it)
#30 - Ann Arbor, MI (yes, even with MI having one of the worst economies in the union, Ann Arbor is ahead of us)
#46 - Akron, OH (now, THIS is sad)
#61 - Atlanta, GA
June 6, 2008, 9:26 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Driven, I try not to pay attention to the cities that beat Jax, because as Lake said, the list is subjective. I would relish in the fact that Jax is in the top 29% of cities in the US to raise a child. That says something, and I think it's great. It further convinces me that Jax is where I would love to settle down with my family.
I guess my hometown is somewhere in the middle. However, this measurement of Columbia says something, because I believe many people here want to completely ignore the bad things which need fixing. There are a few good things about Columbia, but believe me, I'd had my fill of it.
June 6, 2008, 9:41 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
yeah, i would have to agree. Columbia SEEMS like the armpit of South Carolina and the eastern seaboard states...not of the entire south though. I think there are parts of Mississippi and Alabama that might lay claim to that.
June 6, 2008, 10:03 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Even Columbia has its good parts. There are some decent neighborhoods around Downtown, The Vista, USC and Five Points. Perhaps its time for a "Learning from Columbia" article.
June 6, 2008, 10:24 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
I'm really curious what criteria they used to compile this list. Portland, OR just one spot ahead of us? Give me a break. Portland has clean air, good schools, less crime, healthier food choices, public transportation, it's bicycle friendly ... I'm genuinely surprised Jacksonville made the list at all.
June 6, 2008, 10:28 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
I think someone is a bit bias? Come on now:
Los Angeles is 12
and
Santa Clarita is 56
Either this group has NEVER lived in Los Angeles, or they ALL live there. Santa Clarita? My gosh, one of the
most livable places in California, largely built on the frame of Valencia California, a planned City of the 1980-90's period and transit/bike/walk friendly. I'd say more then 1/2 of the films of this era that depict typical
"Seventh Heaven" "Weeds" or "Leave it to Beaver" families, are shot in this idealic town. They have commuter rail too.
Something about this one smells to high heavens!
I'd take Jax over LA, any day of the week for my family.
Ocklawaha
June 6, 2008, 11:59 am
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Trust me, Jax is far more scenic, beautiful, and thriving than Cola. Who wouldn't want to live in a big city with 15 minutes to the beach, downtown, and tons of recreation parks near the river?
June 7, 2008, 11:07 pm
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
I agree the Columbia's downtown could use a lot of work. However, regardless of the economic engine, a couple of those neighborhoods are attractive, even a few north of downtown.
No doubt. Jacksonville's setting makes it very attractive. However, it would be more attractive if we could take a decayed section of our inner city and turn it into a Vista-like urban nightlife and entertainment district to complement what we already have.
June 8, 2008, 10:55 pm
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
^Absolutely. What impresses me about you guys is your determination not to rest on the city's current success, but to even make it better.
BTW, I'll be driving through your town this Tuesday...headed to Mickeyland with the extended family, and it will be my 6-month-old son's first trip. I'll be sure to point out cool places for my wife and show her why Jax is a great place to settle down. I wish we could actually stay in Jax for a few days.
June 8, 2008, 10:59 pm
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Welcome home Charleston Native, we'll try and remember to wave as you pass through. Hope the trip goes well, ENJOY.
Ocklawaha
June 16, 2008, 10:57 pm
Re: The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family
Thanks, Ock. We actually drove through the rain AND rush hour traffic from downtown on Tuesday, and we came through town again on Saturday. My 7-month-old son decided to wake up and be excruciatingly hungry, and I made the mistake of exiting on Butler Blvd. heading east. Then I got off that highway on Southside. No restaurants to pull over in!
We eventually went back on the interstate and drove to Duval Road where the new shopping complex is and ate at Hardees (fed the baby first, of course!) The people were friendly and we felt very safe the entire time.
I should've asked for a phone number from some of you guys so I could call you if we needed some directions! I'll remember that next time.
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