Bella Vista Named Best Place To Raise Kids

Gabriel Creasey, 9, checks out the $1 bill he received Friday while attending a program on saving money presented by representatives of Walmart’s Finance and Accounting Department at Elm Tree Elementary School in Bentonville. The Arkansas Kids Count program, sponsored by the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants, teaches third- and fourth-graders the importance of saving money, spending wisely and setting financial goals.
Gabriel Creasey, 9, checks out the $1 bill he received Friday while attending a program on saving money presented by representatives of Walmart’s Finance and Accounting Department at Elm Tree Elementary School in Bentonville. The Arkansas Kids Count program, sponsored by the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants, teaches third- and fourth-graders the importance of saving money, spending wisely and setting financial goals.

— Bloomberg Businessweek has named the city the Best Place to Raise Kids in Arkansas.

Bloomberg Businessweek and Bloomberg Rankings evaluated more than 3,200 places nationwide with populations from 5,000 to 50,000 for its Best Places to Raise Kids 2013, according to a news release from the Property Owners Association.

“We looked at such metrics as public school performance, safety, housing costs, commute time, poverty, adults’ educational attainment, share of households with children and diversity. To gauge the local job market, we also weighed median income and unemployment,” according to businessweek.com.

The data comes from GreatSchools.org, the FBI, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The list excludes places where the median family income exceeds $115,866, the lower limit for the wealthiest 20 percent of U.S. families, according to the website.

“It’s such a great honor to know that our recreation community continues to receive national recognition and is touted as a destination for people of all ages,” said Tommy Bailey, general manager of the Bella Vista’s Property Owners Association.

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