Families looking for the perfect place to settle face a difficult task. Finding the city with the best school system, low crime rate, quality health care, and community support can confuse potential buyers.
In a new Fortune report, researchers scoured the country to find the 25 best places to live for families, with two Southern California cities on the list: tustin (#12) and St. Mark (#20).
Nestled in the heart of Orange County, Tustin offers residents an excellent range of job, school and entertainment opportunities while offering world-class shopping and dining options, Fortune said. The city has a balanced offering of historic architecture and modern development, according to the study.
With easy access to Los Angeles, the coastline, and the San Gabriel Mountains, Tustin ranked 12th among the top 25 cities for families.
San Marcos, a suburb of San Diego with a population of nearly 100,000, was highlighted for its top-notch school district and “year-round mild climate, perfect for taking advantage of the extensive parks and recreation program.” city trails, as well as nearby lakes. and beaches,” Fortune wrote.
The study analyzed approximately 2,000 cities and towns across the United States and more than 215,000 data points in five categories:
- Education
- Aging Resources
- General well-being
- Financial health
- Habitability
The researchers specifically focused on the needs of the ‘sandwich generation’, those who struggle with ‘the simultaneous responsibilities of raising their children while regularly caring for their own parents’.
Fortune estimates that about 45% of Americans are of this generation today.
To ensure the winning locations were towns where residents could afford to buy homes, Fortune eliminated locations where home sales prices “were more than twice as high as the state median.” and/or more than 2.75 times higher than the national median”.
Diversity was also privileged. The study eliminated any city where “more than 90% of the population is white, non-Hispanic.”
No more than two cities per state and no more than one city per county/metropolitan area were also chosen.
The 25 best cities to live according to Fortune are:
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Wylie, TX
- Olathe, Kansas
- Mason, Ohio
- Morrisville, North Carolina
- Clearfield, UT
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- Leesburg, Virginia
- West of Chicago, Illinois
- Novi, MI
- West Windsor, New Jersey
- Tustin, California
- South Portland, Maine
- Woodbury, MN
- Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey
- Brookline, Mass.
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Iowa City, Iowa
- Maryland Heights, Missouri
- San Marcos, California
- Walla Walla, Washington
- Sarasota, Florida
- Fountain, Colorado
- Statesville, North Carolina
- Maudlin, South Carolina
