A new study ranked Plano as the best city to raise a family. From school districts to housing, the North Texas city has proved an excellent fit for residents.
Only 30 minutes away from Dallas, Plano is home to almost 300,000 people. Storage Cafe ranked the city as the best place in the U.S. for families. The site looked at 100 of the most populated cities and used data from the U.S. Census Bureau to rank the cities based on several metrics including public school rankings, family income, cost of living, environmental factors, community amenities and recreation opportunities.
Local Profile previously found that Wiley was also ranked one of the best cities to raise a family. But the new study did not look at the town because of its small size.
Plano stood out in the study by Storage Cafe because of its quality schools and high education rate. The city has a collective 96% high school graduation rate, and 60% of Plano residents over 25 hold a bachelor’s degree.
The family-friendly city also has a wide variety of parks. The study found that Plano has 4.7 parks for every 10,000 residents. With 33% of households having children, there are plenty of outdoor activities for kids including jungle gyms, splash parks, pools and other kid-centered activities.
Housing in the city has a higher price tag, with the average home being $553,000, but income rates are higher as well. The median household income for Plano residents is about $116,000 per year, one of the highest in the U.S. The study also found that residents have access to quality apartment living and the city came in third nationally for luxury apartment construction.
When it comes to access to healthcare, many families view it as a priority when they choose where to live. The city came in second overall for the number of healthcare facilities related to population. In fact, there are five healthcare establishments for every 1,000 people.
North Texas has proven to be home to some of the most family-friendly cities in the U.S. with multiple studies finding the area to be a great place to raise a family.
