Vienna Ranked #3 Place to Raise a Family in Virginia: Study

VIENNA, VA -- If you're raising a family in Vienna, kudos to you. A new study out Thursday says Vienna is the #3 spot in Virginia to raise a family. One of the reasons is the low crime rate, according to the study by WalletHub.

• Vienna has the lowest violent crime rate per capita in Virginia, according to the study.

With steady economic growth projected for 2017 and 20 new bills being introduced by Virginia lawmakers to make higher education more affordable, the personal-finance Web site WalletHub Thursday released its report identifying 2017's Best Places to Raise a Family in Virginia.

Some of the reasons Virginia is great for families, according to the study, include the area's "breathtaking natural landscape," cultural diversity and cultural diversity.

Another reason the area is great for families: Fun things to do, as well as economic security (Northern Virginia is home to four of the 10 wealthiest counties in the country, and has the 11th highest per-capita personal income).

Education and healthcare are also key, according to WalletHub. Virginia’s public schools outrank those in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

To help families sort through the most suitable places in Virginia for putting down roots, WalletHub’s analysts compared 82 cities in the state across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from “median family income” to “school-system quality” to “housing affordability.”

Here's a look at the top 10, with Vienna ranked #3:

Top 10 Virginia Cities for Raising a Family

1. Falls Church
2. Leesburg
3. Vienna
4. South Riding
5. Great Falls
6. Forest
7. Poquoson
8. Ashburn
9. Fairfax
10. Cave Spring

Here is more about the methodology used for the report:
To help families find the best Virginia cities in which to put down roots, WalletHub’s analysts compared 82 cities in the state across four key dimensions: 1) Family Life & Fun, 2) Education, Health & Safety, 3) Affordability and 4) Socioeconomics. Their sample considered only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area. They 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 100 indicating the most suitable conditions for family life. Finally, they calculated overall scores for each city using its weighted average across all metrics and ranked the cities based on the resulting scores.

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: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.

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 Children Aged 0 to 17 Lacking Health-Insurance Coverage: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• 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.

Socioeconomics – 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)

See the full report here.

PHOTO of family friendly event in Vienna, courtesy of Town of Vienna