Fremont named the best city to raise a family in the U.S.
FREMONT, Calif. - The Bay Area's fourth-largest city is known for strip malls, a Tesla plant and a strip of street known as "Little Kabul."
And Fremont, population 225,000, is also the best place to raise a family in the United States because of its overall wealth, health and access to activities, according to WalletHub's 2024 Best Cities For Families ranking.
WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 45 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation.
With that said, Fremont is No. 1.
Overland Park, Kansas is No. 2. Irvine, Calif. is No. 3. Plano, Texas is No. 4 and Seattle is No. 5.
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One of the main reasons WalletHub chose Fremont was because of "economic factors."
Fremont has one of the highest median family incomes after adjusting for the cost of living, at close to $122,000, and it has the fourth-lowest share of families living in poverty as well as the third-lowest share receiving food stamps. In addition, 50.5% of families in Fremont have children under age 18, one of the highest rates in the country.
Fremont is especially good when it comes to children’s education, with a high percentage of public schools rated at least a 7 out of 10 (67.4%), and many summer camp opportunities per capita.
Fremont also has a high health index, WalletHub said. Only 1.4% of children lack health insurance, the second-lowest percentage in the country, and only 1.1% of the population lacks access to healthy food.
The city also has the fifth-most parkland acres per capita, allowing for good outdoor exercise opportunities. Lake Elizabeth is a popular spot for many residents and hiking on Fremont's Mission Peak draws people from all over the Bay Area.
San Jose was ranked seventh overall, losing points due to a poor affordability ranking, while San Francisco was 12th, despite having the lowest share of children among major cities. Oakland ranked toward the bottom half of the list, at No. 121.