(KRON) — Despite all the talk of “doom loops” and people leaving the Bay Area for other states, one South Bay city is among the very places to raise a family in the U.S., according to a new report. San Jose ranks second in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Live for Families.”
When it comes to raising a family, San Jose ranks right behind Huntsville, Alabama, according to the report. In terms of education, San Jose tops the list, with U.S. News saying the San Jose metro area “ranks No. 1 out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for college readiness among high school students.”
The report does note that San Jose residents spend a larger share of the median annual household income on the cost of living — about 26%. The report also notes that the median home price in the area tops $1.5 million. However, at $99,430, the average salary in San Jose is also well above the national average of $58,260.
What does Huntsville have that San Jose doesn’t? For starters, it’s more affordable with an average median home price of $349,778. While the average salary in the Alabama city isn’t in the same ballpark as San Jose, it does top the national average at $61,140. Residents in Huntsville also spend less than 20% of median annual household income on cost of living, making it the fourth most affordable metro area on U.S. News and World Report’s list.
Here are the top 25 best places to live for families in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report:
- Huntsville, Alabama
- San Jose, California
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Fayetteville, Askansas
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Albany, New York
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Syracuse, New York
- Pittsburgh
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Hickory, North Carolina
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Buffalo, New York
- Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina
- Portland, Maine
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Rochester, New York
- Washington, D.C.
- Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline-Rock Island, Illinois (Quad Cities)
- Cincinnati
- Boise, Idaho
Rankings considered not only the cost of living and average salary, but also quality of high school education, commute time, crime rate, and the area’s overall well-being and access to health care, U.S. News & World Report said.
