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City of Grand Rapids named Best Place to Raise a Family in the nation

City of Grand Rapids
City of Grand Rapids

Rocket Homes and BestPlaces.net considered a number of metrics.

The City of Grand Rapids landed in the top spot of Rocket Homes’ “Best Places To Raise A Family” list. The Detroit tech-based real estate service provider partnered with BestPlaces.net considering a number of factors propelling Grand Rapids to No. 1 in the nation.

Metrics focused on school ratings, crime, child care costs, kid conveniences and the number of households with children and the increase in number of those households. It also took in to account parks, playgrounds and greenspaces.

In particular, Grand Rapids is home to more than 20 museums providing engagement opportunities with art, culture, history and nature. The city’s top 5% national school system ranking was noted. The study’s authors pointing out, “which can be attributed, in part, to the quality of life of its educators, as the city also ranks as one of the best places to be a teacher.”

The study considered150 U.S. metro areas. Following Grand Rapids at No. 1 on the list are Bridgeport, Connecticut, Raleigh, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Ohio and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.