Best places to raise a family in the Midwest

Family-friendly and affordable are the two qualities drawing more and more people to the Midwest. Although the West and South continue to boom in population,nearly one in five homebuyers moved to the Midwest in 2024.

Of course, the Midwest is drawing new residents for additional reasons, including better home values, increased personal safety, higher-quality schools, and shorter commute times. Others move as rising temperatures and extreme weather events cause the price of home insurance to skyrocket. Most Midwest homeowners spendless of their income on home insurance than those in the South.

The Midwest also offers a slower pace of life, which many crave in our ever-quickening society. This is a significant consideration when choosing where to raise a family, a decision that involves determining which environment will provide the best quality of life for parents and kids. With that in mind, it's also essential to think about access to good local jobs and a wide variety of amenities that appeal to all interests. For many, a strong sense of community is equally important.

Stacker looked at Niche's 2025Best Places to Raise a Family ranking, which evaluates dozens of important components to raising a family in the U.S. Public schools have the heaviest weight among the considerations included, while crime and safety, cost of living, demographics, and community resources all factor strongly. (You can see the full methodologyhere.)

For this list focusing on the Midwest, places with populations of over 10,000 were considered in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

While no one place can check all the boxes on your wish list, these Midwestern communities have so much to offer, and may be the perfect places for your family to thrive. Keep reading to see which cities and towns made the list.

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#25. Chesterfield, Missouri

- Population: 49,591

One of the two St. Louis suburbs on this list, Chesterfield, is located approximately 25 miles west of the city, partly within the Chesterfield Valley. The city is the home of the longest outdoor strip mall in America. The community has median home values over 50% higher than the national average, and median rents over $200 above the national average. On the other hand, the city has low crime rates.

#24. Ballwin, Missouri

- Population: 30,835

The other suburb of St. Louis, this one southwest of the metropolis, Ballwin, is described as having a "strong sense of community [that] fosters social connections and a welcoming atmosphere." The city also boasts great schools, rent on par with the national average, and low crime rates. Home ownership rates are very high in Ballwin, with 78% owning.

#23. Brookfield, Wisconsin

- Population: 41,592

Brookfield is a western suburb of Milwaukee. Perhaps the most famous former resident is infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone, who chose the location due to the lack of police in the area. Rest assured, Brookfield is now relatively safe, with crime rates well below the national average. Like many suburbs, the city switched from agricultural to commercial use and rapidly expanded post-World War II during the baby boom.

#22. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

- Population: 14,750

Whitefish Bay is another suburb of Milwaukee, located on the shore of Lake Michigan. A bedroom community for Milwaukee, the city has a median household income of over $150,000—in contrast to the national average of under $80,000—and a college attainment rate of 93%.

#21. Powell, Ohio

- Population: 14,229

Powell is a suburb of Columbus, located in the northern part of the metropolitan area. Opting not to host its own school district, the city is served by school districts from its neighboring communities. The city has a high median household income of $191,250 and a daunting average home value of nearly $500,000.

#20. Montgomery, Ohio

- Population: 10,816

The Cincinnati suburb of Montgomery is an affluent bedroom community located on the eastern terminus of the Ronald Reagan Cross Country Highway. The city has a median household income of nearly $150,000, low crime rates, and high educational attainment. It's said to have a "sparse suburban feel."

#19. Deerfield, Illinois

- Population: 19,185

A North Shore suburb of Chicago, Deerfield is a little over 25 miles north of the city. Home of Walgreens, Baxter Healthcare, Consumers Digest, and Fortune Brands Innovations, Deerfield is another wealthy community, with a median household income of nearly $190,000 and average home values north of $600,000.

#18. Northville Township, Michigan

- Population: 31,393

Northville Township is a charter township in the northwestern corner of Wayne County, home to Detroit. Although the two are geographically adjoined, the township is separate from the city of Northville. In Michigan, a charter township is a town that—by having received a charter from the state—has home rule authority that allows the establishment of municipal services like a police force and the ability to acquire property, borrow money, and issue bonds.

#17. Rochester, Michigan

- Population: 12,939

Rochester is a 3.8-square-mile city about 35 minutes north of Detroit. The city's school district ranks within the top 10 in the state, and Oakland University is within the city limits. Rochester's quaint downtown lights up every December as over1 million lights deck the buildings for the holidays.

#16. East Grand Rapids, Michigan

- Population: 11,394

Unsurprisingly, East Grand Rapids is a suburb of Grand Rapids. On the shores of Reeds Lake, it came into the national spotlight as the home of President Gerald Ford. East Grand Rapids has a low crime rate and very high education levels, with 44% of residents having a master's degree or higher, in contrast to the national rate of 14%.

#15. Mason, Ohio

- Population: 35,148

Another suburb of Cincinnati, Mason, is home to both the King Island Amusement Park and the newly renovated Lindner Family Tennis Center. The city also hosts a Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park and the corporate headquarters for Luxottica Retail and Cintas.

#14. Hudson, Ohio

- Population: 23,007

Hudson ranks as one of Cleveland's top suburbs for its good schools and outdoor opportunities. City planners created a walkable downtown with four greens that host about 150 events each year. City zoning forbids big box stores, strip malls, and drive-thrus—while one McDonald's drive-thru was approved before the zoning laws were put in place, it was built to look like a tasteful private home.

#13. Winnetka, Illinois

- Population: 12,508

A suburb about 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, Winnetka is another affluent community. It ranks as the seventh safest and richest city in the country—its median income tops $250,000. While the city has property crime rates comparable to those of its neighbors, it has extremely low rates of violent crime.

#12. Beverly Hills, Michigan

- Population: 10,507

Beverly Hills, a suburb of Detroit, is the state's most populous village. In a rural community, the homes in the area are almost entirely occupied by the owners, compared to just 6% of renters. The community is lined with parks and is highly educated, with 76% of the population having a bachelor's degree or better.

#11. Barrington, Illinois

- Population: 11,049

One of Chicago's far northwest suburbs, Barrington, still offers a quiet lifestyle that attracted wealthy Chicagoans in the early 1900s. Even though it's 40 miles away, the village's Metra train stop makes commuting to the city easy. Residents enjoy the village's parks, fitness center, and historicWhite House, a cultural center with a full calendar of events and exhibits.

#10. Buffalo Grove, Illinois

- Population: 42,824

Buffalo Grove is another northern suburb of Chicago. Straddling the border of Lake and Cook counties, it is a little over 30 miles from the Chicago Loop. With a median home value of almost $400,000 and a median household income of nearly $130,000, Buffalo Grove is pricier than Chicago itself.

#9. Northbrook, Illinois

- Population: 34,642

Yet another affluent suburb of Chicago, Northbrook, sits on the northern border of Cook County. The headquarters for UL Solutions and Crate & Barrel are in the city, but that's not what it's most famous for. Director John Hughes' fictional town of Shermer was based in part on Northbrook; many of Hughes' films were filmed at least in part in Northbrook, including "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "She's Having a Baby," "Weird Science," and "The Breakfast Club."

#8. Blue Ash, Ohio

- Population: 13,374

Blue Ash, located northwest of Cincinnati, is home to major employers like Kroger, Ethicon, and Procter & Gamble. The city also has a vibrant park system, with a town square, a nature park, and community gardens. TheBlue Ash Sports Center features two soccer and 11 baseball fields, including a faithful reconstruction of the Cincinnati Reds' famed ballpark, Crosley Field.

#7. Vernon Hills, Illinois

- Population: 26,772

Yet another northern suburb of Chicago, Vernon Hills, is the retail hub of south central Lake County. Technology products provider CDW, Rust-Oleum Corporation, and Cole-Parmer are all headquartered in the city. Vernon Hills also hosts several retail complexes, including Hawthorn Mall and Mellody Farm.

#6. Okemos, Michigan

- Population: 25,503

Outside the top five best places to live in the Midwest is the Lansing suburb of Okemos. Attractive for its proximity to Michigan State University, Okemos has home values slightly higher than the national average but lower-than-average rent. The community also boasts high college attainment and a median household income close to $100,000.

#5. Carmel, Indiana

- Population: 100,501

Carmel is a suburb north of Indianapolis. A very well-educated and affluent city, Carmel has been called the "Beverly Hills of the Midwest." Carmel is the home of Allegion, CNO Financial Group, and MISO, all of which contribute to the city's median household income of $134,602.

#4. Wilmette, Illinois

- Population: 27,550

Only 14 miles north of Chicago, the village of Wilmette is located in New Trier Township (just like Winnetka). The town is home to the Bahá'í House of Worship, the only one operating in the United States. A retiree hot spot, the village inherited the density of Chicago while still being a bedroom community. The city's median household income is almost $200,000.

#3. Western Springs, Illinois

- Population: 13,353

Western Springs is a suburb of Chicago on the western border of Cook County. Named for the mineral springs in the southwest part of the town, Western Springs is highly affluent, with a median household income of close to $220,000. Beyond that, 92% of all adult residents have at least some college.

#2. Naperville, Illinois

- Population: 149,424

As of 2025, Naperville is the third-largest city in Illinois by population. Another well-off community, 74% of residents own their homes, and the average home value is nearly $510,000. Crime is low, and income is high, with the average topping $150,000. It's no surprise that Naperville regularly makes lists of the safest and wealthiest places to live in the country.

#1. Hinsdale, Illinois

- Population: 17,155

Hinsdale, on the border of Cook and DuPage counties, is a highly affluent western suburb of Chicago. The village is among the wealthiest towns in Illinois, with beautiful homes to spare. In recent years, the town has resisted the trend of tearing down older buildings to install bigger, more expensive properties. Hinsdale has a shockingly high median home value of $999,100 and a median household income of $250,000.

Additional writing by Jill Jaracz. Story editing by Louis Peitzman. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire.