Fortune’s 50 best places to live for families; local community makes the list
ByWHIO Staff
Best Places To Live For Families
ByWHIO Staff
One local Ohio community has ranked in the Top 50 of the best places to live for families in the U.S., according to Fortune.com.
Fortune releases this information annually and analyzes more than 2,000 cities across the country.
This year, Silver Spring, Maryland topped the list, but coming in at No. 5 is Mason, Ohio in Butler County. The next closest city to make the Top 50 is Westfield, Indiana, which is located north of Indianapolis.
Fortune said, “With a growing portion of Americans caring for both children and aging parents, more people want to live in cities where multigenerational families can thrive.”
And, a lot of people take retirement into consideration and, according to Fortune “as the retirement dream is unraveling for many older adults who don’t want to leave the workforce or can’t afford to, finding a place to live that provides a strong job market has never been more critical.”
As Fortune analyzed communities across the country, the ones that topped the list scored high on assets like healthcare, education, and affordability.
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Best Places To Live For Families
Silver Spring, Maryland In Silver Spring's downtown business district, there are more than 150 restaurants boasting a variety of cuisines.
COURTESY OF VISIT MONTGOMERY, MD
Upper Merion, Pennsylvania Families enjoy Upper Merion Township Norview Farm Fall Fun Festival.
DON HERBERT—COURTESY OF UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP
Chantilly, Virginia The Udvar-Hazy Center displays thousands of aviation and space artifacts.
COURTESY OF VISIT FAIRFAX
Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor's art fair is a three-day extravaganza every July.
COURTESY OF ANN ARBOR
Mason, Ohio Mason's Red, Rhythm, and Boom event is a free admission event to celebrate the Fourth of July.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MASON
Franklin, Tennessee Located roughly 20 miles south of Nashville, Franklin retains the capital’s music scene while offering a more laid-back community.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF FRANKLIN
Lafayette, Colorado Lafayette is known for its views, bikeways, and walking trails.
GLENN ASAKAWA/COURTESY OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE
Overland Park, Kansas Downtown Overland Park Art Fair.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF OVERLAND PARK
Morristown, New Jersey Strolling along the pool at Vail Mansion.
COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF MORRISTOWN
Portsmouth, New Hampshire Located on the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth has plenty of waterfront activities.
WILL ZIMMERMANN/COURTESY OF THE CHAMBER COLLABORATIVE OF GREATER PORTSMOUTH.
Somerville, Massachusetts Local music festival, Porchfest attracts crowds to neighborhoods all over town to listen to local music in Somerville, Mass.
HABESEN—GETTY IMAGES
Woodbury, Minnesota Outdoor rink at M Health Fairview Sports Center in Woodbury, Minn.
COURTESY OF WOODBURY
Frisco, Texas Ford Center at The Star is a 12,000-seat stadium located in Frisco, Texas.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF FRISCO
San Jose, California San Jose delivers over 300 days of sunshine a year.
GETTY IMAGES
North Hempstead, New York The symphony orchestra performs in front of Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve in Sands Point, N.Y.
GETTY IMAGES
Bethany, Oregon The town’s neighborhood hub is Bethany Village, a picturesque shopping center brimming with some of the area’s best restaurants, bakeries, and boutiques.
COURTESY OF CENTRAL BETHANY
South Portland, Maine Ariel view of Bug Light Park classic car show in South Portland, Maine.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH PORTLAND
Middleton, Wisconsin The National Mustard Museum dedicated to America’s favorite condiment mustard is family-friendly and quirky shop to stop at during any trip.
COURTESY OF VISIT MIDDLETON, WISCONSIN
Westfield, Indiana Jams at the Junction in Westfield, Ind.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF WESTFIELD
West Chicago, Illinois Event-goers savor a summer evening with food trucks lining Main Street at the West Chicago Food Festival.
COURTESY OF MATT GILLIAM PHOTOGRAPHY
Shoreline, Washington Richmond Beach Saltwater Park has picnic tables, public art, playgrounds, and an off-leash area for dogs.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SHORELINE
Sandy, Utah Older adults play pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports, and build community.
COURTESY OF JUSTIN ADAMS/SANDY, UTAH
Middletown, Delaware The Four Corners in Middletown is the featured place for performers to strut their stuff during parades downtown. Here, the M.O.T. Senior Center line dancers perform in the Peach Festival Parade.
COURTESY OF TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN
Iowa City, Iowa Community members gather for the annual Farm to Street Dinner on the Northside of Iowa City.
COURTESY OF CITY OF IOWA CITY
Wake Forest, North Carolina Wake Forest has four historic districts—three listed on the National Register of Historic Places—that are easy to explore on foot. The Calvin Jones House (shown here) was built in 1820.
COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF WAKE FOREST
Bozeman, Montana Bozeman offers many outdoor activities like fly fishing, like seen here, hiking, skiing, and more.
COURTESY OF VISIT BOZEMAN AND BOZEMAN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Suwanee, Georgia Suwanee Fest at Town Center Park.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SUWANEE
Kapolei, Hawaii Three miles outside of Ko Olina Resort is the growing town of Kapolei, Oahu's second city.
DUKE DEJONG—GETTY IMAGES
South Burlington, Vermont Wheeler Nature Park.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON
Meridian, Idaho Downtown Meridian is evolving into a vibrant area filled with a variety of retail shops, restaurants, and residential living options.
COURTESY OF CITY OF MERIDIAN
O'Fallon, Missouri Fort Zumwalt is the city's most historic park and encompasses 48 acres.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF O’FALLON
Stamford, Connecticut Aerial evening shot of downtown Stamford, Conn.
COURTESY OF PJ KENNEDY/HEY STAMFORD BLOG
Bentonville, Arkansas The start line of Bentonville's Half Marathon.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF BENTONVILLE
Alabaster, Alabama An Alabaster firefighter speaks to members of the Alabaster Government Academy.
COURTESY OF NEAL WAGNER/CITY OF ALABASTER
Rio Rancho, New Mexico Residents enjoy A Park Above located on the south side of the city of Rio Rancho.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF RIO RANCHO
Wellington, Florida Lakeside Market on Lake Wellington Promenade.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF WELLINGTON
Chandler, Arizona Chandler's City Hall building.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER
Omaha, Nebraska The Aquarium at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.
COURTESY OF VISIT OMAHA
Fargo, North Dakota Fargo's Red River Market in the fall.
COURTESY OF VISIT FARGO MOORHEAD
Georgetown, Kentucky Ward Hall Bourbon Tasting in Georgetown, Ky.
COURTESY OF GEORGETOWN
Rock Hill, South Carolina Fountain park offers a scenic space for family activities.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ROCK HILL
Sioux Falls, South Dakota Eastbank Block Party in Sioux Falls, S.D.
COURTESY OF SIOUX FALLS
Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest rodeo celebration in the world, with events and activities for locals and visitors of all ages.
COURTESY OF VISIT CHEYENNE
Anchorage, Alaska Hikers viewing Portage Glacier Area in Anchorage.
JODY OVERSTREET
Morgantown, West Virginia The Balloons Over Morgantown Festival at the Morgantown Airport is an iconic event in town. Colorful hot air balloons fill the sky, creating a magical spectacle above scenic West Virginia landscapes. Families are able to chase the balloons and assist in the landing and pack up wherever they land.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN
Olive Branch, Mississippi There are over 140 acres of parks within Olive Branch.
COURTESY OF OLIVE BRANCH, MS
Providence, Rhode Island Family and friends attend the rock n' roll yard sale in the streets of Providence.
NICHOLAS MILLARD/COURTESY OF GOPROVIDENCE.COM
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Friends and colleagues enjoy the OKC Skyline.
COURTESY OF OKLAHOMA CITY
Enterprise, Nevada Southern Highlands master-planned community golf course, part of Greater Las Vegas in unincorporated Clark County.
COURTESY OF CLARK COUNTY
