Plano named fourth best US city for raising a family

Plano was ranked as one of the best cities in the U.S. to raise a family, according to a recent report by WalletHub.

WalletHub has released a report detailing some of the best and worst cities in the country to raise a family. The report compared over 180 cities, taking into account the cost of housing, the quality of local schools, and an analysis of the healthcare system in each area.

The city of Plano is placed in the top four, behind Fremont, Calif., Overland, Kansas, and Irvine, Calif.

Other findings of the report showed that Plano ranked fourth in socio-economics, fifth in health and safety, and seventh in affordability in the country. The city also ranks 29th in education and childcare.

Dallas found itself at the No. 141 spot, ranking significantly below other North Texas cities like Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Irving, Arlington, and Garland.

Grand Prairie netted the No. 63 spot, Fort Worth ranked at the No. 86 spot, Irving ranked at the No. 97 spot, Arlington ranked at the No. 99 spot, and Garland fell at the No. 111 spot.

Other Texas cities on the list include Austin (No. 19), Laredo (No. 72), Amarillo (No. 80), El Paso (No. 93), Lubbock (No. 107), Corpus Christi (No. 134), San Antonio (No. 138), and Houston (No. 145).

According to WalletHub, the worst city to raise a family is Memphis, Tennessee.

“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,” Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, said. 

“On top of all of these factors, people also often want to raise their children close to their extended family. Therefore, current or prospective parents can benefit from narrowing down their choices to a few of the best cities that are within a reasonable drive of their family,” she added.

The full report, methodology, and additional expert comments can be read on WalletHub's site.