Local cities among best suburbs to raise families

Published 10:16 am Monday, March 6, 2017

By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Several Shelby County cities have earned praise for their schools, low crime rates and affordable cost of living in a recent list of the “Best suburbs to raise a family” in Alabama.

The Niche.com website’s most recent list of best suburbs for families in Alabama includes the Shelby County cities and communities of Hoover, Helena, Chelsea, Calera, Meadowbrook, Pelham, Alabaster and Indian Springs Village in the top 15.

The rankings provide “a comprehensive assessment of key favors that are meaningful for families at the suburb level,” according to the website. While calculating the rankings, Niche.com factored each area’s quality of public schools, cost of living, percentage of residents 14 and younger, crime and safety, family amenities, real estate offerings, number of residents 35-44, higher education rate and diversity.

Hoover came in at No. 2 on the list, earning top grades for public schools and family amenities, followed by Helena, which earned its highest marks in family amenities and real estate offerings, at No. 5.

Chelsea came in at No. 6 on the list, recording its highest marks in family amenities and real estate offerings, and Calera followed closely behind at No. 8, earning its highest mark for family amenities.

The Meadowbrook community off U.S. 280 came in at No. 9 on the list, scoring highest in family amenities, and Pelham placed No. 10 on the list, earning its highest grades in the nightlife and family amenities categories.

Shelby County’s largest city, Alabaster, placed No. 11 on the list, also scoring highest in the family amenities category, and Indian Springs Village followed closely at No. 12, scoring highest in the family amenities category.

To view the entire list, visit Niche.com/places-to-live/rankings/suburbs/best-suburbs-for-families/s/alabama.