Raising a child is no easy task. It can cost between $16,227 and $18,262 a year, lead to burnout and have a major impact on mental health. But the challenge is not the same everywhere.
WalletHub ranked 182 major U.S. cities across 45 metrics, ranging from housing costs to quality of health care, to determine 2024′s best and worst places to raise a family. Three Georgia cities made the list, though none of them cracked into the top 38%.
“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,” WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said in the report.
“On top of all of these factors, people also often want to raise their children close to their extended family,” she added. “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.”
Fremont, California, ranked as the best place to raise a family, largely because of its high median family income of around $122,000. Memphis, Tennessee, was named the worst city, having scored the lowest in health and safety.
Atlanta ranked the highest among Georgia’s cities, which also included Columbus and Augusta. The capital took home 71st place, setting it squarely within the top 40%. Atlanta scored 14th best for family fun, but ranked among the worst places concerning socioeconomics and health.
Columbus listed at 129th, putting it in the bottom 29% of worst places. The Georgia city ranked significantly lower than Atlanta for affordability.
Augusta ranked 173rd, making it one of the bottom 5% worst places to raise a family. It scored lower than Atlanta concerning health and safety.
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