Best Place to Raise Kids

BusinessWeek magazine has published its third annual ranking of the “Best Places to Raise Your Kids.” Partnering with OnBoard Informatics, a New York-based provider of real estate analysis, BusinessWeek selected one town and two runners-up for each of the 50 states.

Lakewood was rated the best city in Ohio, followed by Parma and Strongsville.

With a population of 53,000, BusinessWeek say Lakewood has a median family income of $68,883. The magazine also cited Lakewood's location on the shores of Lake Erie, its affordability, tree-lined streets and great schools. To compile the ranking, BusinessWeek limited the study to towns that have at least 45,000 residents and a median income of between $40,000 and $125,000. Categories analyzed included school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities, and diversity. Affordability, safety, and school test scores were given the greatest weight.

Source: Business Week and LakewoodAlive