Top cities to raise a family in 2026 revealed
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The Trump administration will allow investors to tap some of their retirement savings for a home down payment, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Friday, with additional details to be released next week. CPA & Financial Analyst Dan Geltrude has the breakdown.
For families considering a move, new data is revealing the best places for raising kids, based on everything from public schools and parks to safety and childcare costs.
To determine the best U.S. cities to move to for raising children, moving company HireAHelper conducted a comprehensive study of city characteristics that could influence children’s health, happiness and success.
The company weighed 10 factors: public school quality, resident ratings on how family-friendly the city is, cost of living, childcare expenses, median household income, family fun, family health and safety, park quality, ease for working parents, and state-paid family leave policies.
Irvine, California ranked top city to raise kids
Big picture view:
According to the data, Irvine, California ranked as the No. 1 city to move to for raising children.
New data found Irvine, California as the best U.S. city to raise a family. (Credit: Getty Creative)
The city boasted an A+ on Niche’s "Best Places for Families" and "Public Schools" and ranked first for "Health and Safety" and second for "Parks."
Top cities to move to for raising children
- Irvine, California
- Plano, Texas
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- Seattle, Washington
See the full report here.
Best states to raise a family in 2026
Dig deeper:
But statewide, California ranked No. 29 for the best states to raise a family, according to a separate WalletHub study released earlier this year.
WalletHub compared all 50 states across five broad categories: family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socioeconomics.
RELATED: These states rank as the best to raise a family in 2026, data suggests
Massachusetts ranked as the best state to raise a family, buoyed by strong job security, low poverty rates and high household incomes. The state also led the nation in public education, reinforcing its top overall ranking.
The rankings were followed by Minnesota and North Dakota.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by HireAHelper’s data published on March 6, 2026. This story was reported from Los Angeles. Previous FOX Local reporting contributed.