A new study ranks Fairfax County as the best in the nation for new families. The study by financial technology company SmartAsset analyzed 830 U.S. counties based on affordability, access to parks and healthcare, childcare costs, and family-friendly demographics.
The report noted that Fairfax County is a short drive west of Washington, DC. It “ranks well for childcare affordability, with costs for a family with two children averaging 24 percent of the median income, while housing averages 19.6 percent of the median income. Additionally, 96 percent of residents live within a half mile of a park, and there is one primary care doctor for every 898 residents, compared to a national median of 1,504.”
The study noted that there are approximately 132,190 children under age 10 living in Fairfax County. This equates to about 11 percent on the population.
Other U.S. counties ranked in the top 10 include:
- Wake County, North Carolina (No. 2)
- Carver County, Minnesota (No.3)
- Minnehaha County, South Dakota (No. 4)
- Lake County, Illinois (No. 5)
- Montgomery County, Maryland (No. 6)
- DuPage County, Illinois (No. 7)
- Ector County, Texas (No. 8)
- Midland County, Texas (No. 9)
- Davis County, Utah (No. 10)
Feature image courtesy Fairfax County Park Authority
