WalletHub Reveals Michigan’s Best & Worst Cities for Families

While city life isn't for everyone, my wife and I prefer traffic over crickets. For those who choose city life in Michigan, WalletHub's newest study has revealed the best and worst cities in the Mitten State for raising a family.

There's a lot that goes into declaring a place "The Best" for anything, so before we reveal Michigan's most preferred locale for raising little ones, let's see how WalletHub came to their conclusion.

WalletHub's Best City in America for Raising a Family

To better understand how WalletHub came to its conclusion, let's look at its #1 choice in America: Fremont, California. Out of the 182 US cities studied (including the 150 largest in the country), Fremont has the following:

• America's Best Socioeconomic Ranking
  • Think family structure, employment, divorce, and income
• 2nd for Education and Child Care
  • This includes grading the quality of and access to schools, daycare, and summer learning
• 4th for Health and Safety
  • Air and water quality, the quality of and access to hospitals, fatality rates, and homelessness.
• 9th for Affordability
  • Deep dive into the cost of living, housing costs, and how well a community budgets as a whole
• 86th for Family Fun
  • How many playgrounds, ice rinks, skate parks...anywhere a family goes together are there in the community, and how affordable are they?

On paper, Fremont, California, sounds like a great place. Let's see how Michigan's best city compares.

Michigan's Best Place to Raise a Family

Among the 182 cities studied, Grand Rapids ranked as Michigan's best place to raise a family. However, it didn't make the top 10, 20, or 50. The first of only two entries for the Mitten state came in at No. 100 on the list overall.

• 162 for Family Fun
• 103 for Health and Safety
• 139 for Education and Child Care
• 44 for Affordability
• 112 for Socioeconomics

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America's Worst City to Raise a Family

Sadly, there was only one other Michigan city to appear on the list, and it ranked 181st, second only to Memphis, Tennessee. That city? Detroit. Here's how the Motor City stacked up:

• 49 for Family Fun
• 173 for Health and Safety
• 180 for Education and Child Care
• 156 for Affordability
• 182 for Socioeconomics

It should be noted that Detroit edged out Memphis for the 2nd worst in America by three-tenths of a percent. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Detroit, and while the affordability could use some help, it's not lacking for family fun. Here's hoping Michigan has a better showing in 2026; we deserve it.