San Jose came in where? U.S. News and World Report ranks top places to raise a family
This publication looked at factors including cost of living and quality of high school education
Despite the fact that many Silicon Valley residents are packing up and moving to more affordable places like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and even Seattle, U.S. News and World Report has ranked San Jose as the second best place in the country to raise a family.
To determine the most desirable metro areas for families looking to relocate, the news publication looked at factors such as cost of living, average salary, high school education quality, and crime rates.
According to U.S. News, the San Jose metro area, which includes Santa Clara and San Benito counties, owes its high ranking in large part to having the best college readiness among high school students. The downside is, of course, exorbitant housing prices, with a typical single-family home costing more than $1.5 million.
The report revealing the list, however, notes that San Jose’s average annual income of $99,430 is significantly higher than the national average of $58,260. But that’s little consolation for many families looking to buy a home in the area. The California Association of Realtors reports that only 26% of Santa Clara County households can afford an entry-level home, compared to 55% nationally.
San Jose was the only California city on the list. The following are the top 25:
- Huntsville, Alabama
- San Jose, California
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Albany, New York
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Syracuse, New York
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Hickory, North Carolina
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Buffalo, New York
- Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina
- Portland, Maine
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Rochester, New York
- Washington, D.C.
- Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline-Rock Island, Illinois (Quad Cities)
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Boise, Idaho
