Forbes: America's Best Places To Raise A Family

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1. Hamilton County, Ind.

Population: 250,979

Located just north of Indianapolis, Hamilton County tops our list with impressive scores in nine of our 10 categories. Aside from mediocre air quality, Hamilton offers eight quaint communities, a terrific school system, a short commute and low crime. The average home price of $200,000 is a steal compared with Marin County's $901,900.

2. Ozaukee County, Wis.

Population: 86,321

Originally settled as a stop on the old dirt trail between Green Bay and Milwaukee, Ozaukee is now the wealthiest county in Wisconsin and earns top marks for its low crime and high graduation rates. Port Washington, the county seat, is just 25 miles from Milwaukee. It's situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, and its Port Fish Day is reputed to be the world's largest one-day outdoor fish fry.

3. Johnson County, Kan.

Population: 516,731

Home to Kansas City suburbs Overland Park and Olathe, Johnson County ranks third on our list because of its affordability and accessibility. Family-friendly perks include an average commute of 20 minutes, 5,000 acres of parkland and over 4,000 recreational programs annually. One drawback: Standardized test scores are on the lower end of our spectrum.

4. Geauga County, Ohio

Population: 95,676

Geauga, pronounced "Gee-aw-guh," takes its name from the American Indian word for "raccoon" and boasts the nation's second-largest Amish population. Located 30 miles east of Cleveland, Geauga County owes its rank to clean air, low crime and a high level of community investment--a whopping 86% of homes are owner-occupied.

5. Delaware County, Ohio

Population: 156,697

Delaware County rounds out our top five with solid scores across the board. Just north of the state capital, Columbus, Delaware is the fastest-growing county in the state. Major attractions include the Columbus Zoo, Polaris Fashion Place and the Little Brown Jug, an annual harness race that takes place during the third week of September.

6. Morris County, N.J.

Population: 493,160

Morris County ranks the highest of the three New Jersey counties on our list. Morris residents earn a median income of $43,085, and their kids enjoy a phenomenal high school graduation rate of 98.4%. Local employers include pharmaceutical giants Bayer, Wyeth and Novartis. For idle ornithology enthusiasts, there's the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

7. Hunterdon County, N.J.

Population: 130,783

Hunterdon ranks one spot lower than neighboring Morris County, mostly due to its higher commute time and dirtier air. Though county seat Flemington was the site of the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping, Hunterdon today is the safest county on our list, with only 8.65 index crimes reported per 1,000 residents.

8. Waukesha County, Wis.

Population: 380,985

Once called "Cow County USA," Waukesha is now home to some of Milwaukee's most prosperous western suburbs. Residents are treated to a short commute and great education. With a 96% high school graduation rate, the county has produced such luminaries as Les Paul, inventor of the electric guitar.

9. Montgomery County, Pa.

Population: 775,688

Home to some of the upscale Main Line suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery County earns solid marks across the board. Residents can find ample shopping opportunities in Bala Cynwyd's fancy boutiques or the King of Prussia Mall, the largest shopping center on the East Coast. For history buffs, there's Valley Forge National Historic Park, plus scores of annual Civil and Revolutionary War re-enactments.

10. Chester County, Pa.

Population: 482,112

Located 30 miles west of Philadelphia, Chester County borders Montgomery County along the Schuylkill River. Chester's median home price of $328,400 is a bit pricey, but families are rewarded with a high school graduation rate of 96% and average SAT scores of 1,075.

11. Martin County, Fla.

Population: 139,393

Situated on Florida's eastern coast between Palm Beach and St. Lucie, Martin County contains a bevy of sunny tropical communities. One of the cleanest counties in the U.S., it boasts 354 "clean air days" per year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But its high school graduation is a bit low at 85%.

12. Washington County, R.I.

Population: 127,561

Washington County offers some of New England's most appealing vacation spots. With high graduation rates, low crime and a short commute time, it's also a great place to raise a family all year round. Its location along Block Island Sound provides a host of scenic spots for family outings.

13. Albemarle County, Va.

Population: 92,035

Located in the heart of Virginia, Albemarle County is home to the city of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The county's average SAT score of 1,098 is among the best in the nation, but its high school graduation rate of 84% leaves something to be desired. Notable natives range from founding father Thomas Jefferson to musician Dave Matthews, who was born in South Africa but grew up in Albemarle.

14. Collin County, Texas

Population: 698,851

Home to the burgeoning northern suburbs of Dallas, Collin County is a great value play for families. An affordable median house price of $191,000 means access to a school system that boasts a 1,103 average SAT score and a graduation rate of 93%. One caveat: a sub-par crime rate of 34.7 index crimes per 1,000 people. That's four times higher than Hunterdon County, N.J., the safest county on our list.

15. Marin County, Calif.

Population: 248,742

If money were no object, Marin would be tops on our list. It offers the best education in the country, with a 97% graduation rate and a list-topping average SAT score of 1,133. Marin is filled with picturesque bay-side communities like Tiburon and Sausalito, and outdoor attractions include Point Reyes National Seashore, Muir Woods Redwood Forest and Mount Tamalpais. Good luck finding a place to live: The median home price is a staggering $901,900, the most expensive on our list.

16. Somerset County, N.J.

Population: 324,186

Established by charter in 1688, Somerset is one of America's oldest--and wealthiest--counties. Due to a host of pharmaceutical companies headquartered in central Jersey and limitless employment opportunities across the river in New York, Somerset boasts a per-capita income of $43,407, among the best on our list. Unfortunately, that won't go too far in Somerset: the median home price is $457,000.

17. Howard County, Md.

Population: 272,452

Situated between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., Howard County is one of the smartest counties in the country. Its average SAT score of 1,113 trails only Marin County, Calif., on our list. Howard's public library system holds the top spot in Hennen's American Public Library Ratings. Consider the longish half-hour commute time before moving there.

18. Minnehaha County, S.D.

Population: 163,281

Minnehaha County, which takes its name for the Sioux Indian word for waterfall, is among the best values on our list. With its median home price of $138,600, residents have more disposable income to spend on their families; a list-topping average commute time of 15.5 minutes gives them more time to spend as well. One problem: a sub-par high school graduation rate of 81% and standardized test scores among the lowest on our list.

19. Sarasota County, Fla.

Population: 369,535

Located on Florida's western coast, Sarasota County offers short commute times and clean, warm air. Home to the city of the same name, the county also has the highest crime rate on our list, and its 82% high school graduation rate is less than stellar. But the median home price of $287,000 is more manageable than Floridian list-mate Martin County's $307,800.

20. Norfolk County, Mass.

Population: 654,753

Located just west of Boston and known as the county of presidents, Norfolk is the birthplace of John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H.W. Bush. Norfolk's solid scores across the board also make it a great place to raise a family. Its average SAT score of 1,090 is among the best on our list

Behind The Numbers

Forbes' rankings are skewed toward counties with good school districts. Using research provided by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax research group based in Washington, D.C., we started with a list of the nation's counties with populations over 65,000. To eliminate under-funded school districts, we isolated 97 counties where more than half of per-pupil spending comes from property taxes.

Next, we knocked off all the counties with average SAT scores under 1,050 (math and verbal combined) or average ACT scores under 22, leaving us with 51 counties.

Raising a happy family requires more than just a good school system. With that in mind, we ranked the remaining counties using 10 data points: cost of living, graduation rate, standardized scores, home price, property tax rate as a percentage of median home price, percentage of homes occupied by owner, per-capita income, air quality, crime rate and commute time.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/27/schools-p...realestate.html

[one...two...tree 2,762]

New Jersey, here we come.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

#3, imagine that......

[one...two...tree 2,762]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

I'm wondering how much of a difference in median income between all of them. I would imagine it's pretty significant, not to mention the types of jobs available.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

I'm wondering how much of a difference in median income between all of them. I would imagine it's pretty significant, not to mention the types of jobs available.

Probably.

[DairyFarmer 1]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

What does "flyover states" mean?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

What does "flyover states" mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyover_country

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

What does "flyover states" mean?

it's how the left and right coast try to feel better about living where they do.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

What does "flyover states" mean?

it's how the left and right coast try to feel better about living where they do.

Funny, 12 of the 20 are not in flyover states or are bedroom communities of coastal big cities.... and we need to feel better? lol.

6. Morris County, N.J.

7. Hunterdon County, N.J.

9. Montgomery County, Pa.

10. Chester County, Pa.

11. Martin County, Fla.

12. Washington County, R.I.

13. Albemarle County, Va.

15. Marin County, Calif.

16. Somerset County, N.J.

17. Howard County, Md.

19. Sarasota County, Fla.

20. Norfolk County, Mass.

Edited July 7, 2008 by A.J.

[DairyFarmer 1]

New Jersey, here we come.

Top 5 are all in flyover states.

What does "flyover states" mean?

it's how the left and right coast try to feel better about living where they do.

lol, guess that means I will join john in being flown over.

[Sinergy 3]

#11 and #19 are too expensive, unless you have money, its not the best place to raise a family.

And most of Florida has a low graduation rate, you think they would do something about our crappy education.

[Mags 112]

#1 is only 2 counties over from us. Hamilton county is home to Carmel - nothing on this earth could make me live there.

I'll stick to Putnam county thank you.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

#1 is only 2 counties over from us. Hamilton county is home to Carmel - nothing on this earth could make me live there.

What? Not snotty and self-important enough for you while being boring to boot?

I agree with you.