3 VALLEY CITIES AMONG 25 BEST PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY IN 2025

LIVING IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

3 Valley Cities Among 25 Best Places To Raise A Family In 2025

By AZBigMedia, azbigmedia.com | May 28, 2025

Families move often and for various reasons. In fact, the average American can expect to move an estimated 11.7 times in a lifetime. Moving can be a sign of opportunity, such as a new job or long-term wealth accumulation, but people may also move because of instability such as foreclosure or job loss. During this period of significant inflation, many families might consider moving to a place with a relatively low cost of living. Thankfully for Arizona families, the Grand Canyon state is home to many of the best places to raise a family in 2025.

With families in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 45 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation. While not perfect — given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data — our findings will hopefully give movers a better sense of their options.

Top 5 Best Places To Raise A Family In 2025

Fremont, CA
Overland Park, KS
Plano, TX
Irvine, CA
South Burlington, VT

Source: WalletHub

Best Places To Raise A Family

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Family Fun Rank	Health & Safety Rank	Education & Child Care Rank	Affordability Rank	Socio-economics Rank
1	Fremont, CA	73.53	86	4	2	9	1
2	Overland Park, KS	71.66	102	18	10	1	3
3	Plano, TX	68.55	75	5	19	6	2
4	Irvine, CA	68.50	31	3	3	52	11
5	South Burlington, VT	65.07	163	108	1	10	17
6	Seattle, WA	64.93	71	93	11	7	14
7	Boise, ID	64.86	18	26	30	28	18
8	Gilbert, AZ	64.69	70	16	50	14	4
9	Bismarck, ND	64.57	117	32	64	4	9
10	San Diego, CA	64.39	5	21	12	82	30
11	Huntington Beach, CA	63.75	90	17	4	103	7
12	Scottsdale, AZ	63.15	42	38	76	15	6
13	San Jose, CA	62.87	45	20	13	66	21
14	Columbia, MD	62.74	87	48	78	2	47
15	Charleston, SC	62.56	30	63	29	32	46
16	Austin, TX	61.97	83	92	27	8	40
17	Fargo, ND	61.83	115	28	60	13	20
18	Sioux Falls, SD	61.59	130	31	48	19	22
19	Lincoln, NE	61.58	62	34	69	20	22
20	Virginia Beach, VA	61.53	146	10	22	35	24
21	San Francisco, CA	61.40	15	67	16	56	67
22	Portland, OR	61.00	34	116	7	33	86
23	Chandler, AZ	60.99	73	37	55	38	8
24	Omaha, NE	60.90	79	64	28	21	66
25	Madison, WI	60.85	88	42	102	5	25
26	Chesapeake, VA	60.80	95	24	47	31	38
27	Warwick, RI	60.39	182	1	33	17	50
28	Honolulu, HI	59.92	23	8	21	130	35
29	Nashua, NH	59.74	154	27	42	37	36
30	Santa Rosa, CA	59.05	77	2	44	95	52
31	Huntsville, AL	58.76	101	13	92	42	60
32	Santa Clarita, CA	58.56	121	9	5	128	70
33	St. Paul, MN	58.48	17	60	118	18	106
34	Minneapolis, MN	58.47	27	146	112	3	92
35	Portland, ME	58.29	159	33	40	47	45
36	Pearl City, HI	58.01	177	14	6	91	13
37	Casper, WY	57.58	57	89	56	60	32
38	Cedar Rapids, IA	57.27	139	45	137	11	63
39	Pittsburgh, PA	57.20	67	75	54	25	127
40	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	57.15	82	68	17	138	12
41	Sacramento, CA	57.05	3	81	84	78	98
42	Denver, CO	57.05	9	159	63	34	97
43	Washington, DC	57.04	68	109	18	23	157
44	Raleigh, NC	56.99	142	73	77	12	72
45	Lewiston, ME	56.98	147	6	35	72	100
46	Lexington-Fayette, KY	56.68	141	49	62	24	85
47	Chula Vista, CA	56.61	106	7	25	133	44
48	Garden Grove, CA	56.49	48	15	9	173	34
49	Peoria, AZ	56.47	85	51	105	58	28
50	Orlando, FL	56.36	8	114	73	55	110
51	Billings, MT	56.24	138	155	43	29	39
52	Atlanta, GA	56.22	14	119	57	22	158
53	St. Petersburg, FL	56.21	66	70	87	51	54
54	Salt Lake City, UT	56.01	74	122	100	46	16
55	Cheyenne, WY	55.93	132	143	70	27	37
56	Henderson, NV	55.91	56	35	115	68	55
57	Tampa, FL	55.87	4	96	95	70	118
58	Oklahoma City, OK	55.57	58	120	91	36	65
59	Oceanside, CA	55.55	108	22	41	139	15
60	Pembroke Pines, FL	55.51	149	12	14	145	71
61	Jersey City, NJ	55.25	165	11	20	100	82
62	Aurora, IL	55.21	107	29	58	81	88
63	Missoula, MT	55.02	92	132	15	88	80
64	Colorado Springs, CO	54.92	55	112	125	40	61
65	Durham, NC	54.90	161	133	34	26	76
66	Las Vegas, NV	54.77	1	61	151	111	120
67	Nampa, ID	54.56	52	46	110	80	62
68	Burlington, VT	54.47	166	101	46	39	93
69	New York, NY	54.22	6	53	8	170	140
70	Charlotte, NC	54.00	114	117	68	41	81
71	Reno, NV	53.71	38	66	79	107	91
72	Columbus, OH	53.33	60	83	141	45	129
73	Juneau, AK	53.18	180	77	111	63	5
74	Des Moines, IA	53.15	145	47	159	16	142
75	Grand Prairie, TX	53.15	47	59	165	98	43
76	Los Angeles, CA	53.00	2	87	37	172	109
77	Amarillo, TX	52.99	81	129	85	74	48
78	Modesto, CA	52.97	21	58	158	94	74
79	Boston, MA	52.93	99	39	39	92	150
80	Rapid City, SD	52.93	135	151	96	48	42
81	Spokane, WA	52.52	103	136	81	49	101
82	Anchorage, AK	52.13	134	124	61	85	19
83	Charleston, WV	52.12	179	72	154	30	73
84	Glendale, CA	52.06	54	19	38	169	79
85	Tulsa, OK	52.04	11	147	147	59	113
86	Kansas City, MO	51.80	37	176	106	43	102
87	Chicago, IL	51.75	19	100	72	97	153
88	Yonkers, NY	51.70	178	30	26	113	117
89	Manchester, NH	51.68	173	62	109	65	75
90	Fort Worth, TX	51.65	59	106	157	69	69
91	Long Beach, CA	51.64	24	50	24	174	96
92	Laredo, TX	51.60	69	82	23	151	116
93	Phoenix, AZ	51.45	7	145	145	112	77
94	West Valley City, UT	51.40	40	54	181	105	27
95	Providence, RI	51.33	105	23	51	117	154
96	Cincinnati, OH	51.26	10	115	138	62	166
97	Vancouver, WA	51.12	136	104	66	89	94
98	Mesa, AZ	50.84	97	84	160	104	31
99	Tempe, AZ	50.78	46	126	175	90	26
100	Grand Rapids, MI	50.76	162	103	139	44	112
101	Arlington, TX	50.75	72	99	149	99	59
102	Anaheim, CA	50.60	51	43	49	175	49
103	Irving, TX	50.56	172	76	146	86	10
104	Nashville, TN	49.55	125	164	129	53	64
105	Garland, TX	49.42	144	78	135	127	29
106	Worcester, MA	49.41	156	71	74	84	152
107	Buffalo, NY	49.34	98	111	82	50	175
108	Tallahassee, FL	49.31	122	125	97	67	141
109	Jacksonville, FL	49.20	94	128	132	76	111
110	El Paso, TX	49.18	20	94	104	155	124
111	Bakersfield, CA	49.17	26	127	143	123	99
112	Fontana, CA	49.11	35	74	107	168	41
113	Fort Wayne, IN	49.09	169	65	163	61	89
114	Knoxville, TN	49.09	127	107	89	93	132
115	Cape Coral, FL	49.00	171	41	134	135	53
116	Oakland, CA	49.00	140	138	32	108	138
117	Louisville, KY	48.68	148	105	152	57	119
118	Brownsville, TX	48.61	89	134	31	154	126
119	Stockton, CA	48.51	16	102	136	144	134
120	Albuquerque, NM	48.46	36	179	103	77	121
121	Lubbock, TX	48.44	111	154	65	96	115
122	Salem, OR	48.17	152	80	124	125	78
123	Santa Ana, CA	48.13	93	56	52	179	33
124	Fresno, CA	48.06	43	97	99	147	143
125	Chattanooga, TN	47.94	155	177	101	54	95
126	Fort Smith, AR	47.82	91	156	133	114	57
127	Port St. Lucie, FL	47.76	181	36	120	129	51
128	Richmond, VA	47.43	137	69	116	115	147
129	Riverside, CA	47.15	61	113	122	166	58
130	Springfield, MO	47.13	120	162	119	102	90
131	Newport News, VA	46.83	143	90	162	116	105
132	Tacoma, WA	46.81	175	178	80	64	104
133	Rochester, NY	46.80	126	131	45	75	179
134	Oxnard, CA	46.78	39	25	161	176	83
135	Columbia, SC	46.74	25	118	153	110	165
136	Dallas, TX	46.65	96	140	108	132	107
137	Norfolk, VA	46.60	119	55	150	140	130
138	Glendale, AZ	46.59	28	137	164	153	103
139	Columbus, GA	46.58	84	110	113	146	128
140	Greensboro, NC	46.57	109	152	88	106	145
141	Wichita, KS	46.25	168	153	140	79	68
142	Huntington, WV	46.16	112	86	174	120	137
143	Philadelphia, PA	46.15	12	121	142	134	170
144	Houston, TX	46.13	33	169	121	131	135
145	New Haven, CT	45.91	44	98	71	159	172
146	Ontario, CA	45.82	63	85	126	177	56
147	Corpus Christi, TX	45.60	160	130	130	119	84
148	Moreno Valley, CA	45.56	50	57	176	171	87
149	North Las Vegas, NV	45.51	53	52	182	150	139
150	Tucson, AZ	45.49	13	165	171	142	122
150	Winston-Salem, NC	45.49	104	141	156	121	114
152	San Antonio, TX	45.42	80	163	128	126	131
153	Dover, DE	45.38	174	95	117	122	144
154	Milwaukee, WI	45.09	41	142	148	124	164
155	Aurora, CO	45.06	167	157	113	83	125
156	St. Louis, MO	45.05	64	175	170	73	156
157	Las Cruces, NM	44.84	29	166	86	157	151
158	Indianapolis, IN	44.18	151	160	177	71	133
159	Akron, OH	44.08	133	79	169	109	176
160	Baton Rouge, LA	43.74	123	171	90	101	168
161	Bridgeport, CT	43.64	150	44	67	167	173
162	Mobile, AL	43.64	129	144	131	143	146
163	Fort Lauderdale, FL	43.50	164	135	75	162	123
164	Miami, FL	43.21	65	91	36	181	155
165	Montgomery, AL	42.97	110	139	144	137	160
166	Fayetteville, NC	42.81	116	150	123	160	148
167	Little Rock, AR	42.17	158	182	94	87	108
168	Wilmington, DE	41.94	118	123	83	141	180
169	Shreveport, LA	41.79	131	161	93	152	162
170	Augusta, GA	41.30	128	167	98	149	161
171	Toledo, OH	41.28	78	149	178	136	171
172	New Orleans, LA	40.94	32	174	155	164	163
173	Hialeah, FL	39.78	176	40	59	182	149
174	Jackson, MS	39.57	76	180	127	161	167
175	San Bernardino, CA	39.26	22	168	172	178	136
176	Baltimore, MD	39.06	157	148	166	118	178
177	Birmingham, AL	38.23	124	170	167	148	174
178	Newark, NJ	38.07	170	88	53	180	177
179	Gulfport, MS	37.67	113	158	179	165	159
180	Cleveland, OH	34.89	100	172	173	163	181
181	Detroit, MI	34.10	49	173	180	156	182
182	Memphis, TN	34.07	153	181	168	158	169

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category. – more at azbigmedia.com

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3 VALLEY CITIES AMONG 25 BEST PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY IN 2025

LIVING IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA