Fayetteville has been named one of the 2018 10 Best Places to Raise a Family by Livability.com.
According to a Livability.com press release, the list was created by cross-referencing 2018 city population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Division with data from GreatSchools, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Livability.com analyzed more than 2,000 cities based on number of potential playmates from the percentage of the population that's younger than 6, quality of public schools, measures of children's health, affordability of housing and transportation options, cost of childcare, number of daycare options, parks and libraries, walkability and other factors related to the physical environment, the number of candy stores.
"This year's Best Places to Raise a Family list highlights some famously family-friendly cities and some gems you might never have heard of," said Winona Dimeo-Ediger, Livability.com's managing editor. "To get to the heart of what makes a city great for families, we combined rigorous data collection and ranking criteria with personal testimonials from these cities' most important residents: kids."
Fayetteville ranked ninth on the list, the others are, in order, Moscow, Idaho, Ann Arbor, Mich., Beaverton, Ore., Fort Collins, Colo., Bloomington, Ind., State College, Pa., Oak Park, Ill., Fayetteville, Morgantown, W.Va.and Bozeman, Mont.
The release described Fayetteville as a charming Northwest Arkansas city that's home to the University of Arkansas and approximately 86,000 residents. Families who live in Fayetteville can take advantage of 37 city parks, 84 miles of trails, 15 natural areas and tons of other places to play outside, to include a quick 40-minute drive to Ozark National Forest.
The city has a thriving arts scene, plus many fun traditions all generations can appreciate at University of Aransas sporting events, such as the "Woo Pig Sooie" hog call, the release said. The Fayetteville metropolitan area has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 2.5 percent.
NW News on 10/18/2018