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The 5 best cities in America to raise a family — and the 5 worst

The 5 best cities in America to raise a family — and the 5 worst

Knowing where to put down roots is a complicated choice. A new WalletHub report tries to make the decision easier

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Image for article titled The 5 best cities in America to raise a family — and the 5 worst
Photo: Cindy Ord / Staff (Getty Images)

The average American moves about a dozen times throughout their life. Whether for school, work, love, a change of pace, or some combination of the four, where you choose to live is no small decision.

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That’s why WalletHub set out to find the best and worst places to raise a family.

“Finding the best place to raise a family is difficult, between balancing an affordable cost of living with good educational opportunities, safety and enough recreation to keep kids entertained,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

WalletHub looked at dozens of factors across five key metrics: socioeconomics, affordability, education and childcare, health and safety, and family fun. The ranking considered everything from playgrounds per capita to air quality to local high school graduation rates.

Continue reading to see the five big cities ranked the highest and the five that ranked lowest for raising a family.

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5th Worst: Newark, New Jersey

5th Worst: Newark, New Jersey

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Photo: Bruce Bennett / Staff (Getty Images)
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4th Worst: Gulfport, Mississippi

4th Worst: Gulfport, Mississippi

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3rd Worst: Cleveland, Ohio

3rd Worst: Cleveland, Ohio

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Photo: Al Bello / Staff (Getty Images)
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2nd Worst: Detroit, Michigan

2nd Worst: Detroit, Michigan

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Photo: Gregory Shamus / Staff (Getty Images)
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Worst: Memphis, Tennessee

Worst: Memphis, Tennessee

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5th Best: South Burlington, Vermont

5th Best: South Burlington, Vermont

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Photo: Spencer Platt / Staff (Getty Images)
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4th Best: Irvine, California

4th Best: Irvine, California

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Photo: UC Irvine: https://ip.ce.uci.edu/photo-gallery/
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3rd Best: Plano, Texas

3rd Best: Plano, Texas

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2nd Best: Overland Park, Kansas

2nd Best: Overland Park, Kansas

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Best: Fremont, California

Best: Fremont, California

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Photo: Justin Sullivan / Staff (Getty Images)
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