Looking to Move? These Are the 10 Worst-Ranked Cities to Raise a Family

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Some cities in the U.S. have poor air quality, high crime, and few activities. Read on to learn which 10 cities ranked the lowest for families. 

When it comes to deciding where to live, you have options — almost too many options. According to data from Statista, the U.S. had roughly 19,502 cities, towns, and villages in 2019, with roughly 780 of those containing 50,000 or more people.

To help you narrow down your options, Scholaroo — a national scholarship association — conducted a survey of 152 U.S. cities to decide which are the best cities to live in. They ranked these cities by seven categories: safety, health, finances, education, recreation, quality of life, and home atmosphere.

The top cities to raise a family included some surprising (and unknown) names, like Warwick, Rhode Island, Yonkers, New York, and Casper, Wyoming. But many of the worst cities were well-known names that have hot housing markets, decent economies, and a good reputation for diversity and entertainment.

If you’re curious, here are the 10 worst cities to raise a family, according to Scholaroo’s research.

10. San Antonio, Texas

Safety ranking: 109Healthcare ranking: 107Finances ranking: 50Education ranking: 141Leisure ranking: 140Quality of life ranking: 58Home atmosphere ranking: 84

While more affordable than other Texas metropolises, San Antonio also suffers from droughts, poor air quality, and a high crime rate. The city also ranks low for education and a lack of recreational areas.

9. Little Rock, Arkansas

Safety ranking: 150Healthcare ranking: 52Finances ranking: 29Education ranking: 101Leisure ranking: 119Quality of life ranking: 124Home atmosphere ranking: 44

Little Rock ranked fairly high for finances and home atmosphere. In fact, roughly 44% of the city’s residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. But where it fell short was safety: The city has one of the highest crime rates in the country, with 73 incidents per 1,000 residents. That makes Little Rock less safe than 99% of U.S. cities.

8. Detroit, Michigan

Safety ranking: 152Healthcare ranking: 59Finances ranking: 65Education ranking: 116Leisure ranking: 80Quality of life ranking: 102Home atmosphere ranking: 12

Motown ranked dead last for safety on Scholaroo’s list. At the same time, it also ranked fairly high for a good home atmosphere — fewer divorces and less alcohol abuse — and not too shabby in terms of finances and healthcare.

7. Dallas, Texas

Safety ranking: 124Healthcare ranking: 84Finances ranking: 116Education ranking: 119Leisure ranking: 122Quality of life ranking: 90Home atmosphere ranking: 119

Dallas ranks in the bottom half of cities surveyed for all seven categories. That said, we might describe the city as more “mediocre,” in terms of its overall ranking, as it isn’t the most unsafe city in Texas, nor does it have a lower-than-average high school graduation rate.

6. Austin, Texas

Safety ranking: 84Healthcare ranking: 146Finances ranking: 128Education ranking: 89Leisure ranking: 107Quality of life ranking: 112Home atmosphere ranking: 145

Austin has one of the country’s fastest growing economies. But, like many parts of Texas, its healthcare system is in bad need of reform, with fewer physicians per capita than other cities and a higher rate of residents without health insurance.

5. Houston, Texas

Safety ranking: 135Healthcare ranking: 50Finances ranking: 115Education ranking: 74Leisure ranking: 139Quality of life ranking: 125Home atmosphere ranking: 118

Though the city’s violent crime rate decreased slightly in 2022, Houston still has more crime incidents than most cities. Houston is also one of the worst cities for air pollution.

4. Stockton, California

Safety ranking: 139Healthcare ranking: 148Finances ranking: 69Education ranking: 60Leisure ranking: 141Quality of life ranking: 111Home atmosphere ranking: 34

Stockton is located in the Central Valley of California and is vulnerable to poor air quality from wildfires. In previous studies, the city has also ranked low for child opportunities, with low economic resources, high poverty rates, and lower math and reading proficiency rates.

3. Santa Ana, California

Safety ranking: 73Healthcare ranking: 151Finances ranking: 126Education ranking: 93Leisure ranking: 145Quality of life ranking: 132Home atmosphere ranking: 73

Located in Orange County, Santa Ana ranked low for healthcare facilities, leisure, and quality of life. Many residents of Santa Ana complain the city has little to offer in terms of recreation and culture, while others argue it has a tight knit community of long-time residents.

2. Denver, Colorado

Safety ranking: 134Healthcare ranking: 130Finances ranking: 113Education ranking: 52Leisure ranking: 114Quality of life ranking: 134Home atmosphere ranking: 149

Denver ranked in the bottom 38 cities for nearly every category, except education. The city struggles with vehicle theft and property crimes, a problem exacerbated by the city’s shortage of qualified police officers. The region’s wildfire — including those western states like California and Oregon — also contributes to its poor air quality.

1. Newark, New Jersey

Safety ranking: 143Healthcare ranking: 28Finances ranking: 148Education ranking: 46Leisure ranking: 75Quality of life ranking: 152Home atmosphere ranking: 32

Newark is dead last in quality of life, ranking 152nd. The “stolen car capital of the world” also ranked 143 for safety and 148 for finances. That said, the city’s median rent is about 14% lower than the national median: $1,850 vs. $2,150. And the median home price ($381,990) is lower than the state’s median ($480,275).

Should you live in any of these 10 cities?

Studies like the one published by Scholaroo can help you narrow down where you want to live. But the decision is ultimately yours. In addition to the factors listed above, you should look at the city’s affordability, public transportation, and testimonies from residents.

You might also want to check rates from some of the best mortgage lenders in the area. This could help you understand how much home you could afford, as well as help you compare monthly payments with other cities.

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