These Maryland Cities Among Best Places To Raise A Family

MARYLAND — Columbia is among the best places in the United States to raise a family, according to a new ranking.

Finance website WalletHub recently compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 45 key metrics that are essential for families, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local schools and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation.

The goal was to give parents a better sense of which towns are best suited to raise families.

"Finding the best place to raise a family is difficult. On top of all of these factors, people also often want to raise their children close to their extended family," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a statement. "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."

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Columbia came in at No. 14 on this year's list of best places to raise a family with a total score of 62.74 out of 100. Here's how the city ranked in several individual categories:

• Family Fun: 87
• Health & Safety: 48
• Education & Child Care: 78
• Affordability: 2
• Socioeconomics: 47

Meanwhile, Baltimore earned a spot in the middle of the list at No. 76. The city received an overall score of 39.06.

Here's how Baltimore ranked in the individual categories:

• Family Fun: 157
• Health & Safety: 148
• Education & Child Care: 166
• Affordability: 118
• Socioeconomics: 178

These are the top 10 best cities to raise a family, according to WalletHub:

1. Fremont, California
2. Overland Park, Kansas
3. Plano, Texas
4. Irvine, California
5. South Burlington, Vermont
6. Seattle, Washington
7. Boise, Idaho
8. Gilbert, Arizona
9. Bismarck, North Dakota
10. San Diego, California

See the full ranking online at WalletHub.com.

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