A new study found that four cities in the North Texas area have been named among the top cities in America for young couples to start a family.
According to educational finance website LendEDU, out of 350 U.S. cities examined, Frisco ranked as the top location to begin a family, while McKinney, Plano and Carrollton also placed in the top 10.
In compiling its rankings, LendEDU graded American cities on four different parameters that are indicative of ideal family-starting situations, which included education, the cost of purchasing a first home (based on median family incomes and median home values in the area), crime and safety, as well as the percentage of young families residing in each city.
Frisco topped the list by ranking among the best in all four parameters.
The Dallas-Fort Worth city had the highest percentage of young families at 42.5%, making it the perfect area for parents and kids alike to socialize with others.
Frisco also ranked sixth for education — based on standardized test scores for students in the area — exemplifying the city’s high-quality school system. In the two other areas, Frisco finished in the top 15 for first home purchase cost (13th) as well as crime and safety (also 13th).
McKinney was able to achieve its second-place ranking by having the fifth-highest percentage of young families living in the city, as well as being home to one of the more affordable markets for first-home buyers in America (placing 11th in the category).
Plano, similar to Frisco, was found to have an elite educational system in place, scoring the seventh-highest student test scores in the country. The North Texas city also rated highly (26th overall) in the crime and safety category, which is based on crimes that each city experiences per every 1000 residents.
Carrollton, which has been steadily growing in population over the years, finished in the top-20 for first home affordability (17th), as well as placed in the top 60 in the other categories.
Other cities that cracked the top 10 included Round Rock, Texas (third); Olathe, Kansas (fourth); Gilbert, Arizona (sixth); Cary, North Carolina (seventh); Naperville, Illinois (eighth) and Centennial, Colorado (ninth).
Source: localprofile