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Hoosiers might be known for their obsession with sports, but these Midwesterners have also upped their game in the arena of family-friendliness. In the past several years, Indiana has drawn bigger crowds into its borders, especially from abroad and neighboring Illinois, thanks in part to its stellar economic record.

Indiana currently boasts the 16th biggest state economy by GDP. That’s about the size of Norway’s, according to the American Enterprise Institute. Combined with the sixth lowest unemployment rate, the state offers one of the stronger markets in the nation for job seekers. Plus, earnings go a long way here, where cost of living is lower than in 41 other states.

But that’s not all that working families in Indiana have to cheer about. In a WalletHub analysis, Indiana outranked 33 states in education and child care. And when it comes to health care openness and access, Indiana’s is one of the better states for parents and their kids.

Unfortunately, not every city in the Hoosier State wins the “family-friendly” title. To determine the places in Indiana that are most conducive to family life, WalletHub’s analyst compared more than 70 cities in the state across 21 key livability indicators. Our data set ranges from housing affordability to quality of school system to unemployment rate. Read on for the full ranking, experts’ take on certain family matters and our detailed methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

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Best Places to Live in Indiana for Families

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank	‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank	‘Affordability’ Rank	‘Socio-economics’ Rank
1	Carmel, FL	79.36	3	3	2	4
2	Fishers, FL	79.31	1	8	1	2
3	Westfield, FL	78.24	2	4	3	3
4	Zionsville, FL	75.81	6	2	5	5
5	Avon, FL	72.51	4	14	4	8
6	Jasper, FL	68.98	25	1	11	13
7	Noblesville, FL	67.99	11	19	6	11
8	Brownsburg, FL	67.62	30	10	7	7
9	Plainfield, FL	64.21	13	18	10	10
10	Auburn, FL	62.40	10	17	9	23
11	Granger, FL	61.52	62	7	8	6
12	St. John, FL	59.76	76	6	15	1
13	West Lafayette, FL	59.56	12	15	43	17
14	Chesterton, FL	58.14	58	5	12	28
15	Columbus, FL	57.91	19	38	26	16
16	Yorktown, FL	57.66	42	16	17	15
17	Washington, FL	57.45	49	13	18	29
18	Greenwood, FL	57.24	29	39	14	19
19	Greenfield, FL	56.31	48	25	13	21
20	Fort Wayne, FL	54.75	7	52	22	32
21	Warsaw, FL	54.32	17	33	49	25
22	Frankfort, FL	54.03	37	28	29	37
23	Munster, FL	53.40	73	9	37	18
24	Dyer, FL	53.29	78	11	28	14
25	Valparaiso, FL	53.25	34	21	45	36
26	Peru, FL	53.12	35	24	19	63
27	Plymouth, FL	53.05	5	20	51	53
28	Seymour, FL	52.58	23	54	32	34
29	Jeffersonville, FL	51.80	65	40	27	20
30	Greensburg, FL	51.59	22	26	40	47
31	Lebanon, FL	51.45	53	43	16	26
32	Franklin, FL	50.98	41	45	20	43
33	Vincennes, FL	50.90	27	46	24	57
34	Kokomo, FL	50.88	47	49	23	42
35	Logansport, FL	50.66	26	48	39	45
36	Goshen, FL	50.50	24	34	73	27
37	Huntington, FL	50.36	55	44	25	35
38	Portage, FL	50.16	66	22	30	44
39	Crawfordsville, FL	49.88	8	12	62	68
40	New Haven, FL	49.58	61	66	21	22
41	Highland, FL	49.49	71	29	41	24
42	Lafayette, FL	49.34	20	63	42	40
43	La Porte, FL	48.99	32	36	61	51
44	Crown Point, FL	48.85	72	55	36	12
45	Wabash, FL	48.73	45	35	31	56
46	Schererville, FL	48.42	74	59	46	9
47	Bedford, FL	48.28	51	27	53	54
48	Cedar Lake, FL	47.95	63	23	57	46
49	Madison, FL	47.49	38	51	50	39
50	Bloomington, FL	47.12	16	32	77	49
51	Marion, FL	46.45	40	37	56	67
52	Mishawaka, FL	46.19	56	56	58	33
53	Griffith, FL	45.60	64	30	47	55
54	Evansville, FL	45.26	28	71	60	41
55	Michigan City, FL	44.74	33	42	63	70
56	Beech Grove, FL	44.73	21	41	74	60
57	Greencastle, FL	44.66	46	74	33	50
58	South Bend, FL	44.63	14	65	66	61
59	Richmond, FL	44.55	18	60	65	65
60	Shelbyville, FL	44.37	36	70	48	52
61	Merrillville, FL	43.98	69	50	54	48
62	Hobart, FL	43.72	75	67	34	30
63	New Albany, FL	43.37	50	64	44	59
64	Clarksville, FL	42.95	52	76	35	38
65	Terre Haute, FL	42.85	39	57	64	69
66	Lawrence, FL	42.35	44	77	67	31
67	Elkhart, FL	42.09	15	75	68	58
68	Muncie, FL	40.91	57	69	52	66
69	Anderson, FL	40.26	59	62	59	71
70	Indianapolis, FL	38.80	9	78	72	62
71	Martinsville, FL	38.08	68	53	70	64
72	Speedway, FL	38.02	43	58	75	72
73	New Castle, FL	38.02	70	47	38	75
74	Lake Station, FL	37.61	54	61	71	74
75	Hammond, FL	36.28	60	72	69	73
76	Connersville, FL	33.48	77	31	55	76
77	East Chicago, FL	28.47	31	73	78	77
78	Gary, FL	26.83	67	68	76	78

Ask the Experts

Families share a number of common priorities when choosing a new place to call home. With that in mind, we asked a panel of experts in fields such as family studies and public health to share their insight regarding the process of evaluating prospective Indiana cities on a family’s shortlist. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Indiana?
2. How can local officials in Indiana make their cities more attractive to young families?
3. Looking just within Indiana, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in?

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• Richard J. Petts Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Ball State University
• Nenetzin A. Reyes Assistant Professor of Graduate Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University
• Mohammad R. Torabi Chancellor's Professor Applied Health Science and Dean of the School Of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University
• Heidi L. Hancher-Rauch Associate Professor of Community Health & Kinesiology, Director of the Master of Public Health Program, and Coordinator of the Public Health Education Program at the University of Indianapolis

Richard J. Petts Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Ball State University What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Indiana? Unfortunately, these things often do not go together. Generally speaking, higher quality schools are often found in areas with higher priced housing (as higher property values result in a greater tax base, and thus more funding for schools). This problem is especially challenging given the current housing market, which favors sellers due to a lack of housing inventory (which raises the cost of housing for potential buyers). One option that families have is to apply to send their children to a different school district. Indiana allows for open enrollment, but districts differ in their policies regarding whether they allow for this. This policy may allow young families to find a more affordable house just outside of a high-quality school district, and apply to send their child to this district under the open enrollment policy. How can local officials in Indiana make their cities more attractive to young families? School funding is key. Young families want to live in good school districts, so that their children can get the best education possible. Because education has become increasingly important for one’s future, and more education is needed today to obtain good employment due to credentialism, cities who place a higher priority on education funding and improving schools have a marked advantage. In addition to schools, other resources for families can also make a city more attractive. This includes things like libraries with lots of youth programming, nice parks for children to play at, and parks and recreation programs that allow families the opportunity to enroll their child in activities (sports, summer day camps, etc.) at a reasonable cost. Having such programs provided by the city increases the likelihood of equal access to everyone, and also encourages greater investment and interaction among citizens in the community. Looking just within Indiana, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in? I am not sure there is anything particularly unique to Indiana in this regard. Child development and quality of life is strongly linked to where someone lives in all states. For example, graduate rates, test scores, and college acceptance are all higher within top school districts than poor school districts, in all states. Similarly, families that have access to parks, museums, activities, and other resources that provide social and cultural capital are likely to report a higher quality of life, than families who lack access to these resources. Nenetzin A. Reyes Assistant Professor of Graduate Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Indiana? Finding housing and selecting a school actually go hand in hand. Often, schools with higher ratings tend to be housed within more affluent communities, as many of the resources that go into the schools come straight from the community they are housed in. More affluent communities are able to provide more monetary and voluntary resources than less affluent ones. I would encourage young families to do their homework before deciding on a school. Public schools are rated and compared on a yearly basis. Learn the school’s geographical service boundaries. This will give you an idea of where you will have to look for a house. If possible, visit the schools to get a feel for the atmosphere. How can local official in Indiana make their cities more attractive to young families? Two things come to mind: one, making affordable, high-quality daycare or early education available. The earlier a child is needed to be put in daycare so a parent can work, the higher the cost of care. Two, creating play areas for children and families. The more child friendly the city, the more attractive it will be to parents. To What degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in? This is a multi-layer circular systemic issue, where each of these elements is influenced by the other. Researchers in field child development have found time and time again, that quality care within the first years of life are crucial to long-term cognitive, emotional and social development of individuals. One could argue that a child who receives a healthy degree of nurture and cognitive stimulation during their early stages of child development will contribute to a family’s quality of life, and in turn, the family can contribute to the productive functioning of a city. In a similar manner, one can argue that it is the family who provides the starting point of this sequence, or the city. However, when change is needed, it is the individual or subsystem who has more power and can, in fact, provide faster and more significant change. A city who looks out for the health of their community’s families can impact generations to come. Mohammad R. Torabi Chancellor's Professor Applied Health Science and Dean of the School Of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Indiana? Public schools -- almost always, college towns positively impact public schools due to many factors, such as:

• Diversity of the community;

• Well prepared teachers through interactions with universities/colleges;

• Access to the university's and public library;

• Abundances of college students interested in teaching/tutoring voluntarily, or for small fees.

Affordable housing:

• If parent(s) is a college student, then university married housing is affordable, and convenient;

• Rental or sharing houses with other families is another option;

• Often faculty who take a yearlong sabbatical leave look for reliable young family for house sitting;

• Buying houses which need repairs are always good way for building equity.

How can local officials in Indiana make their cities more attractive to young families?

• Make their cities/communities safe and secure;

• Tobacco and other drugs free communities is a must;

• Gang free is a must;

• Having accessible, affordable and safe parks, and recreational facilities.

• Supportive of extracurricular activities such as dance, music, gymnastics programs.

Looking just within Indiana, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in? By a great deal. Usually, high schools located in rural communities have much lower high school graduation rates, and much lower college acceptance rates than college towns or affluent communities. Heidi L. Hancher-Rauch Associate Professor of Community Health & Kinesiology, Director of the Master of Public Health Program, and Coordinator of the Public Health Education Program at the University of Indianapolis What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Indiana? There are various tools families now have at their disposal when home shopping in Indiana. One great resource is a real estate agent who knows the area and is well versed in the rankings of area schools. Most of the popular online home search engines, like Realtor.com, Zillow, etc., also provide data on the quality of the school system. The challenge is often for lower income families to afford housing in the markets with the best school systems. High-quality public education is one of the most significant attractions for young families to communities, and I think you will notice a correlation between school quality and home prices. That is not to say that affordable housing cannot be located in communities with quality schools, but it might be more difficult. Middle- and upper-income families are likely to have more flexibility on their home location, due to an increased housing budget and better transportation options to get them to work. Lower-income families often are forced to live much closer to their work locations, especially in communities that do not have convenient and reliable transportation. How can local officials in Indiana make their cities more attractive to young families? Young families definitely are attracted to communities by the schools, so ensuring public school systems are funded adequately is a key to being the type of thriving community where people want to live. Other important qualities sought by young families include green space and recreational opportunities; access to amenities like restaurants, shopping, grocery stores, etc.; and, for some, access to public transportation. By establishing policies focused on quality of life in their communities, cities can position themselves to attract more families. Looking just within Indiana, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in? People are heavily influenced by the environments in which they live, especially in reference to quality of life. Stress, health, and well-being are drastically impacted by community factors, like access to healthy foods, availability of green spaces and parks, traffic and noise, safety of neighborhoods, levels of pollution, accessibility of medical services, and availability of good jobs. Because their brains and personalities are still developing, children are impacted even more significantly by their environments during their formative years than are adults. One of the best things a family can do to provide a solid foundation for a child is select a high-quality living environment. The tragedy is that only certain segments of our population have the financial ability to provide this type of setting for their children, while others are left with failing schools and failing neighborhoods. Cities must work to tackle these drastic inequities if they want to be thriving communities.

Methodology

To help families find the best Indiana cities in which to put down roots, WalletHub’s analysts compared a sample of 78 cities in the state across four key dimensions: 1) Family Life & Fun, 2) Education, Health & Safety, 3) Affordability and 4) Socio-economics. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

We evaluated the four dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most suitable conditions for family life.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities in our sample.

Family Life & Fun – Total Points: 25

• Playgrounds per Capita: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: “Attractions” includes, for instance, museums, theaters and zoos.
• Share of Families with Children Aged 0 to 17: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
• Weather: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: Based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking
• Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Education, Health & Safety – Total Points: 25

• Quality of School System: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)
• Air Quality: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Children: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: “Children” include the population aged 0 to 17.
• Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
• Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Affordability – Total Points: 25

• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Housing Costs (accounts for both rental and sale prices) / Median Annual Family Income.
• General Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Cost-of-Living Index.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 25

• Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Families Living Below Poverty Level: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Households Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Renwood RealtyTrac, SchoolDigger.com, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Areavibes and WalletHub research.

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