Hottest family-friendly cities in the US that offer safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, good schools
Hollywood has long had a vision of what a great American town looks like. From “It’s a Wonderful Life” to “Pleasantville,” the cities emblazoned in our minds as nurturing spots to settle down and raise families all have a triad of things in common: single-family homes, low crime, and great schools.
With the median home price creeping to $420,000 this spring, more Americans are wondering where they can get a slice of that dream, so moveBuddha crunched the numbers to see where it’s still in reach.
moveBuddha looked for American cities where people want to move that also have a median home price under the national median, with A- or B-grade crime rates and schools. In total, 16 cities meet that criteria. If you’re looking for that ideal combination of affordable homes, safe streets, and educational excellence, consider these all-American towns. And who knows? Your new digs may even come with a block party and a picket fence.
Big Takeaways:
- Broken Arrow, OK, with a median home price of $275,192, is the lowest-priced town in America where you’ll find low crime and great schools.
- 15 of the 16 cities are in the South. The only outlier? That’s Ankeny, IA.
- With 4 cities on the list, Texas proves it can keep home costs and crime low and still help local kids become a future Aggie or Longhorn. 3 are near Houston.
- New Braunfels, TX, and Clayton, NC, are the most popular — both have more than 2 in-moves for every exit.
- 2 cities get an A+ for education: #6 Edmond, OK, and #7 Katy, TX.
Family-friendly cities people are moving to this year, with homes under $420k
With housing up 60% over the past ten years, even when adjusting for inflation, fewer Americans can hope to achieve the so-called American dream. In fact, a recent analysis of real estate prices found that just 15.5% of homes for sale were affordable to the average American household, and the average age of a first-time home-buyer has risen from 29 in 1981 to 36 today. Where are young families (and families-to-be) to go?
Starting with a list of the 188 most desired cities to move to in 2024, all with 1.25 new residents searching to move in for every one who wants to leave, moveBuddha uncovered the places in America people want to move to right now.
From there, median home cost (Zillow), crime and education scores (Niche) were analyzed. Only 16 total cities had top crime and school scores coupled with below-median home prices.
Southern destinations dominate 2024’s affordable family-friendly cities
Broken Arrow, OK, finishes first overall, with a low median home price 42% less than the national median. Homes in Tulsa’s star suburb cost more than homes in the city itself, but you’ll get A-grade schools in a large district with more clubs and sports than other areas and a nationally recognized marching band.
Other top cities with the lowest home prices are #2 Huntsville, AL, and #3 Orange Park, FL.
Though Broken Arrow’s B- crime score feels low, 13 of the 16 winning cities score B-, and just three make it into B-territory, making A-grade safety unattainable at this price point everywhere in America.
Overall, 15 of the top 16 cities are located in the South. While Texas boasts four of the affordable cities, Florida takes three, and Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma are home to two apiece. There’s a single outlier: Ankeny, IA.
#8 New Braunfels, TX, and #10 Clayton, NC, are the most popular move-to destinations. However, if home supply doesn’t keep pace with demand, they could be erased from the winner’s list in future years. In both cities, more than two people move in for every move-out.
Want the best schools overall? There are two A+ schools on the list: #6 Edmond, OK, and #7 Katy, TX. With median home costs in the mid-$300K range, it will cost new residents roughly 23% more than #1 Broken Arrow to hit the books here.
The 16 most affordable family-friendly cities
1. Broken Arrow, OK
Median home price: $275,192
In-to-out move ratio: 1.88
Population (2023 est): 119,194
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A-
Just outside of Tulsa, Broken Arrow, OK, has the lowest median home price on the list. The school district offers full-day pre-K, so parents won’t just save on daycare—they’ll also prime their kids to enter kindergarten in a town that’s catching the attention of “best places” lists with its revitalized Rose District, complete with murals, eateries, and a local performing arts center.
2. Huntsville, AL
Median home price: $281,657
In-to-out move ratio: 1.33
Population (2023 est): 225,564
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: B+
It seems like the space race is still landing tons of young families in this affordable, safe town. Rocket City is known for its aerospace industry, but it’s earning accolades for its low housing costs. Its vibrant downtown, with its genteel Big Spring Park, eclectic Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment, and an antebellum historic district, is capped by views of majestic Monte Sano Mountain.
3. Orange Park, FL
Median home price: $326,261
In-to-out move ratio: 1.54
Population (2023 est): 9,064
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A
A serene riverfront beauty in southwest Jacksonville, Orange Park offers a small-town vibe with grade-A schools and the third-lowest housing median in the field. Commune with neighbors at fairs like the annual Fall Festival, and when you’re itching for a big-city experience, you’ll find it right over the bridge in Jacksonville.
4. Daphne, AL
Median home price: $328,215
In-to-out move ratio: 1.54
Population (2023 est): 30,321
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A
Across Mobile Bay from lower Alabama’s urban hub, “Jubilee City” is a ~27,000-resident town that houses one of the Eastern Shore’s two international baccalaureate programs in its Blue Ribbon school. All that in a town with bayside boardwalks and drop-dead sunsets.
5. Ankeny, IA
Median home price: $333,385
In-to-out move ratio: 1.35
Population (2023 est): 74,458
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A
This Iowa enclave has sprouted a bustling Uptown with quaint breweries and boutiques, as well as a popular walkable development where housing, coffee, and the gym are all clustered in one liveable neighborhood. Like Daphne, AL, Ankeny is a Blue Ribbon school (one of just five in Iowa), and bonus: it’s just down the road from Des Moines.
6. Edmond, OK
Median home price: $343,655
In-to-out move ratio: 1.42
Population (2023 est): 98,103
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A+
Oklahoma’s North Side heavy-hitter is the list’s first A+ school district, known for its high graduation rates and multiple high schools ranked among the best in the country. Edmond itself isn’t slacking, either: It’s ranked the #1 place to live in Oklahoma, and has some of the city’s chicest restaurants so you won’t have to make the trek downtown.
7. Katy, TX
Median home price: $353,735
In-to-out move ratio: 1.76
Population (2023 est): 26,360
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A+
Start home shopping in the other A+ school district city on the list, and find the best district in Houston along with a city dedicated to making things easy for families: Let the kids blow off some steam at Katy’s huge indoor slide park, water park, and the free mini-golf course at Mary Jo Peckham Park. Add the shopping districts full of “pocket parks,” and you can’t help but notice how Katy’s setting kids up for success.
8. New Braunfels, TX
Median home price: $361,958
In-to-out move ratio: 2.67
Population (2023 est): 110,958
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A-
No other city on the list has such a high move-in rate: For every 2.67 people who move to New Braunfels, just one moves out. That means that the city’s affordable housing price is precarious (it has already risen 34% in the city over the past five years). Maybe it’s so popular because you can tube, kayak, and fish in the Comal and Guadalupe rivers or slip and cool down at one of the country’s biggest waterparks. Just don’t expect its prices or small-town charm to last.
9. Simpsonville, SC
Median home price: $366,320
In-to-out move ratio: 1.36
Population (2023 est): 27,506
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A-
South of popular Greenville, Simpsonville is in South Carolina’s verdant upstate, with high schools in South Carolina’s top 10% coupled with home prices 28% lower than the national average. You’ll get more space and a bigger yard for your money than in Greenville, but in 2023’s most moved-to state, you’ll contend with housing prices that have risen 51% over the past five years.
10. Clayton, NC
Median home price: $372,892
In-to-out move ratio: 2.03
Population (2023 est): 30,216
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: B+
One of Raleigh’s hottest towns, Clayton, is attracting new residents with its charming downtown and low real estate costs compared to other Research Triangle cities. The trade-off is a commute; Clayton’s new housing can be a 30-minute drive to jobs in Raleigh, so the cozy enclave retains an aura of small-town safety. Additionally, the school district, serving all of Johnson County, makes up almost half of the most improving North Carolina schools.
11. Vero Beach, FL
Median home price: $379,317
In-to-out move ratio: 1.36
Population (2023 est): 17,317
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A-
Florida’s Treasure Coast is home to one of its own treasures: a town that’s been voted one of the “100 Best Art Towns in America,” but with some of its most affordable real estate in a growing location with great schools and safe streets. Its cool Spanish-style arts and entertainment district has independent shops and restaurants. With a limited job market and an untenable commute to either Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, Vero Beach is living its best beach lifestyle and keeping it affordable.
12. Montgomery, TX
Median home price: $389,571
In-to-out move ratio: 1.51
Population (2023 est): 2,769
Crime & Safety Score: B
Public Schools Score: A
If it weren’t for the price, this town of ~50,000 residents may be the list’s overall winner. One of only three B-grade safety cities on the list, it edges out the other contenders while maintaining an “A” in education, all in a historical stagecoach town near Lake Conroe where police are responsive, and half of residents say they feel “very safe.”
13. Richmond, TX
Median home price: $391,874
In-to-out move ratio: 1.61
Population (2023 est): 12,816
Crime & Safety Score: B
Public Schools Score: B+
The Houston area’s third contribution to the list, Richmond is a diverse city with ranching roots, a community farm, and the space to grow — fast. Richmond’s housing prices have shot up 48% since 2019, and the county is expected to double its population by 2050. The schools are keeping up, with Foster High School in the top 5% of schools in Texas.
14. Punta Gorda, FL
Median home price: $406,095
In-to-out move ratio: 1.84
Population (2023 est): 20,227
Crime & Safety Score: B
Public Schools Score: A-
Port Charlotte’s growing urban area includes popular Punta Gorda, famous for its network of canals and a paradise for boaters. It must be a paradise for many other people, too: Real estate prices have jumped 63% since 2019. Buy a home here before those prices rise more, and you’ll be rewarded with one of three top “B” safety grades on the list of affordable cities.
15. Kennesaw, GA
Median home price: $414,820
In-to-out move ratio: 1.35
Population (2023 est): 34,683
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A
You’ll find a rich Civil War history and an even richer park system in this northwest suburb of Atlanta with one of the largest and best school districts in the state — its schools boast STEM, arts, and other diverse programs. And while you’re living in the second most expensive city on the list, Atlanta salaries make the costs comparable: the average salary in Atlanta is $56,297, while in #1 Broken Arrow, that figure is $42,219.
16. Acworth, GA
Median home price: $418,511
In-to-out move ratio: 1.72
Population (2023 est): 22,379
Crime & Safety Score: B-
Public Schools Score: A-
Just beyond Kennesaw, on the shores of Lake Acworth, you’ll find another town vying for the area title of safest affordable enclave with great schools. “The Lake City” is a charming railroad town capitalizing on real estate prices coming just below the national median.
Conclusion
Ultimately, safe, affordable towns with great schools are rare.
Only 16 of these hidden treasures in the entire US are on the radar of Americans looking to move. Others may be scattered across the nation, but remain hidden family-safe havens for local residents.
And with so much overlap between towns on the list and the country’s most popular move-to states, young families shouldn’t expect supply to keep pace with demand for long. After all, these cities check three huge boxes for new movers. As each town is discovered, its affordability wanes, and the reasonable home prices that now define it are threatened. Soon, there may be no safe, affordable towns with great schools at all.
So, if a classic American town is what you’re looking for, ignore the line of moving trucks behind you, pre-order your picket fence, and snag a home in a city on this elite list while you still can.
Methodology
moveBuddha started with the latest mover data from its Moving Cost Calculator, capturing user searches made at any time from Jan. 1 through June 28, 2024.
The list was limited to cities with at least 1.25 new residents moving in for every one that leaves, and with 25 or more searches for both moves in and out.
That left 188 of this year’s most desirable move-to cities.
From there, the cities were analyzed for:
Affordability: Using median home cost in May 2024 (Zillow)
Safety & Crime: Using the Niche grade for each city, and only including cities with A or B (Niche)
Public School: Using the Niche grade, and only including cities with scores of A or B (Niche)
To highlight the most affordable cities, the list was limited to cities offering median homes less than $420,000. This was based on a recent NAR report finding that the U.S. median home sales have reached a record high of $419,000.
Only 16 cities had top crime and school scores coupled with below-median home prices.
Population data is sourced from the US Census 2023 annual estimates.
This story was produced by moveBuddha and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
By Joe Robison
