Gilbert, Arizona, is one of the best places to raise your family, according to WalletHub

According to a recent WalletHub report, Gilbert, Arizona, is the sixth best city to raise a family — ranked out of 182 cities in the United States.

The report compared the locations based on five key factors: “Family Fun, Health & Safety, Education & Child Care, Affordability and Socio-economics.”

Here is what you should know about the report.

What does the research say about Gilbert?

Around 25.6 million Americans moved in 2023, according to WalletHub. To determine the best places to raise a family, the report compared the most populated cities, evaluating them over “45 relevant metrics.”

The metrics were graded on a 100-point scale and included:

• The amount of playgrounds per capita.
• The walkability of the location.
• The air quality of the city.
• The infant mortality rate of the location.
• The amount of driving fatalities.
• The quality of each city’s school-system.
• The rate of high school graduates.
• The amount of summer learning opportunities.
• The general cost of living.
• The amount of two-parent families.
• The general rate of unemployment.

Based on these factors and more, Gilbert, Arizona, placed sixth overall. The top five best cities included:

1. Fremont, California.
2. Overland Park, Kansas.
3. Irvine, California.
4. Plano, Texas.
5. Seattle, Washington.

The worst cities to raise a family, according to the report, included

1. Memphis, Tennessee.
2. Detroit, Michigan.
3. Cleveland, Ohio.
4. Newark, New Jersey
5. Gulfport, Mississippi

What factors should I consider before choosing where to live?

When choosing a location to live and raise a family, some things can’t be controlled. Work, family, finances and other factors may influence where you settle down. However, there are factors to consider when making a decision.

Cindy Smith, professor and associate department head of the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, told WalletHub some important things to think about before moving.

“For children, I would look for nice places for families to gather and for children to play, such as well-maintained parks and community centers and programs like recreational sports and classes for children and families,” Smith told WalletHub. “I would also look for objective indicators of the quality of the school systems.”

WalletHub also turned to Brian J. Willoughby, a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. “The quality of school systems, access to good jobs, general crime rates, and access to quality recreation are all factors that are tied to the city you live in and impact your family,” he told WalletHub.

“Consider not just the local area but the surrounding area. What do you have access to within 1-2 hours of where you are thinking about living?”

According to U.S. News & World Report, these are more factors to consider before moving:

• Crime rates.
• The cost of living.
• Education opportunities.
• Quality and flexibility of jobs.
• General happiness in the location.
• Health care standards and availability.
• Commute to work, the grocery store and other necessary locations.