Garland was recently named No. 8 on the list of the 100 most populous cities in the U.S. for raising a family. Move.org used the categories and weighting percentages below to rank the cities:
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents – 20 percent
School rankings – 18 percent
Cost of living for two adults and two kids – 16 percent
Number of children ages 0-5 years – 8 percent; 6-11 years – 12 percent; ages 10-18 – 10 percent
Number of playgrounds per 10,000 residents – 6 percent
Number of grocery stores – 5 percent
Number of daycares – 5 percent
Garland’s low crime rate, numerous recreation centers and parks, affordability, cost of living, school rankings and number of playgrounds were specifically mentioned as attributes that draw families to Garland
Nineteen of the cities in the top 100 were in Texas and Arizona. Move.org stressed that it is important that the Texas and Arizona cities on the list performed well in categories that carried the most weight.
“That can’t be denied,” the Move.org article states.
Garland residents, as well as visitors, often comment that it feels like a small town even though the population is in excess of 225,000. There are numerous other reasons that residents like Garland including the high quality of city services, low utility rates and safety.
Five of the top 100 cities are in Texas and three are in the North Texas area. El Paso ranked No. 3; Plano was No. 4; Laredo ranked No. 7, Garland was No. 8; and Irving ranked No.9.
Click here to read the entire report.
Garland’s Mission Statement: We are committed to preserve public trust, deliver quality services, promote economic growth, protect our community and enhance the quality of life for the good of our city and our future.
Garland’s Vision Statement: Garland’s vision is to be a progressive city working together to nurture and grow the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of our community.