Where you choose to raise your children is perhaps one of the most important housing decisions you’ll ever make. Picking the right community can help get your kids started on the path to a thriving childhood. With this in mind, Livability.com has named Carmel a Top 10 Best City for Families, 2015. Carmel provides access to great schools and recreation, family-friendly activities, and many neighbors to play with, all of which can help keep kids happy and healthy, and provide children with certain advantages.
When choosing the best cities for families, our editors looked for places with high populations of children but low populations of kids in poverty, while also using consumer spending data to find areas with high concentrations of people buying baby food and car seats. We then looked for communities doing a great job of supporting kids. Data was used from our partner GreatSchools.org to measure the quality of public schools as well as areas with high graduation rates. We looked for areas with great parks and libraries with programs and activities for kids.
In addition, our editors looked at factors related to healthy living, especially geared for children, like air quality. Finally, we factored in some general quality of life considerations such as cost of living, low commute times (less time on the road can mean more time at home with the little ones) and the crime rate.
“Parents agonize over where to raise their children – I know I did,” said Livability editor Matt Carmichael in a press release. “We want to make that decision a little easier. These 10 cities would all be fine candidates.”
Carmel is home to top-rated schools, excellent community programs, safe neighborhoods and many recreational amenities. Progressive city leaders have positioned Carmel among the most desired locations in the country for young families. Attractions such as The Center for the Performing Arts and Monon Community Center provide an array of activities to help keep children active and engaged. Many of the city’s distinct neighborhoods are connected by sidewalks and bike paths, and the events and festivals in the Arts and Design District offer several family-friendly activities.
Top 10 Best Cities for Families, 2015
1. Overland Park, KS
2. Plano, TX
3. Holland, MI
4. Carmel, IN
5. Leesburg, VA
6. Chandler, AZ
7. Naperville, IL
8. Bentonville, AR
9. Rockville, MD
10. St. George, UT