Moving is already a big deal, but when kids are added into the mix, selecting the right place is even more crucial. Luckily, Homesnacks puts out a list each year highlighting the top ten cities in Arizona to raise a family. Here are the 2020 winners:
- Coolidge
Flickr/squeaks2569 Most notable for its dam holding back San Carlos Lake, Coolidge is a lovely place with about 12,000 residents. It received the highest score in terms of family-friendly amenities, has a low crime rate, great education, and over 40% of households have children.
- Maricopa
Wikipedia/Chris J. Maricopa is part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area and the second-most populous city in Pinal County. Its amenities score is only one point lower than that of Coolidge and 39% of families have children.
- Somerton
Wikipedia/City of Somerton This Yuma County city of just under 16,000 is especially great for kids because of its annual Tamale Festival. More than 20,000 people attend the event each year, which benefits local students who will be attending Arizona State University. It’s a great opportunity for them to make friends before heading off to college. The town was given a family-friendly amenities score of 37, and nearly 60% of households have children.
- Florence
Wikipedia/Willjay If you’re a history buff and want to raise like-minded kiddos, look no further than Florence! With over 25 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Florence is one of the oldest towns in Pinal County. Its population is about 30,000, with 20% of households having children and a family-friendly amenities grade of 47.
- Prescott
Flickr/Mike McBey The first official capital of Arizona has the highest amenities score of all: 66. Only about 15% of families have kids, but there’s plenty to do – especially at Christmastime, when the town square comes alive with millions of glittering lights.
- Avondale
Flickr/Kevin Dooley Kicking off the second half of the list is Avondale, a fairly large city with over 80,000 residents. Its family-friendly amenities score is 61 and close to 46% of households have children.
- Chandler
Wikipedia/Chandlernews Chandler, a rapidly-growing suburb of Phoenix, is home to nearly 250,000 people. Since it is the largest city thus far, its amenities grade tops the list at 73. About 37% of families have children, so your kids should have no trouble meeting peers.
- Camp Verde
Flickr/Judy Gallagher In stark contrast with Chandler, Camp Verde is the smallest town on the list so far (population: 11,169). The closest major city is Scottsdale, 30% of households have children, and the family-friendly amenities score is 62.
- Sahuarita
Wikipedia/Brian Basgen Located 15 miles south of Tucson, Sahuarita shares a boundary with Green Valley. The population is around 28,000, with nearly 40% of households having children and an amenities score of 41.
- Peoria
Wikipedia/Marine 69-71 A rare dual-county city, Peoria is a suburb of Phoenix with approximately 164,000 residents. It’s the ninth-most populous city in Arizona and serves as the spring training home for the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Peoria among the top 100 places to live in America. The city received an amenities score of 38 and around 34% of households have kids.
Did your city make the list? Let us know your thoughts on this year’s lineup, and check out our previous article for another city ranking list: According To FBI Statistics, These Are The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Arizona For 2020.
Flickr/squeaks2569
Most notable for its dam holding back San Carlos Lake, Coolidge is a lovely place with about 12,000 residents. It received the highest score in terms of family-friendly amenities, has a low crime rate, great education, and over 40% of households have children.
Wikipedia/Chris J.
Maricopa is part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area and the second-most populous city in Pinal County. Its amenities score is only one point lower than that of Coolidge and 39% of families have children.
Wikipedia/City of Somerton
This Yuma County city of just under 16,000 is especially great for kids because of its annual Tamale Festival. More than 20,000 people attend the event each year, which benefits local students who will be attending Arizona State University. It’s a great opportunity for them to make friends before heading off to college. The town was given a family-friendly amenities score of 37, and nearly 60% of households have children.
Wikipedia/Willjay
If you’re a history buff and want to raise like-minded kiddos, look no further than Florence! With over 25 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Florence is one of the oldest towns in Pinal County. Its population is about 30,000, with 20% of households having children and a family-friendly amenities grade of 47.
Flickr/Mike McBey
The first official capital of Arizona has the highest amenities score of all: 66. Only about 15% of families have kids, but there’s plenty to do – especially at Christmastime, when the town square comes alive with millions of glittering lights.
Flickr/Kevin Dooley
Kicking off the second half of the list is Avondale, a fairly large city with over 80,000 residents. Its family-friendly amenities score is 61 and close to 46% of households have children.
Wikipedia/Chandlernews
Chandler, a rapidly-growing suburb of Phoenix, is home to nearly 250,000 people. Since it is the largest city thus far, its amenities grade tops the list at 73. About 37% of families have children, so your kids should have no trouble meeting peers.
Flickr/Judy Gallagher
In stark contrast with Chandler, Camp Verde is the smallest town on the list so far (population: 11,169). The closest major city is Scottsdale, 30% of households have children, and the family-friendly amenities score is 62.
Wikipedia/Brian Basgen
Located 15 miles south of Tucson, Sahuarita shares a boundary with Green Valley. The population is around 28,000, with nearly 40% of households having children and an amenities score of 41.
Wikipedia/Marine 69-71
A rare dual-county city, Peoria is a suburb of Phoenix with approximately 164,000 residents. It’s the ninth-most populous city in Arizona and serves as the spring training home for the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Peoria among the top 100 places to live in America. The city received an amenities score of 38 and around 34% of households have kids.
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Address: Coolidge, AZ, USAAddress: Chandler, AZ, USAAddress: Camp Verde, AZ 86322, USAAddress: Sahuarita, AZ, USAAddress: Peoria, AZ, USAAddress: Avondale, AZ, USAAddress: Prescott, AZ, USAAddress: Florence, AZ, USAAddress: Somerton, AZ, USAAddress: Maricopa, AZ, USA
