Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Roofstock.
With the release of the results of the latest U.S. Census earlier this year, one of the most noteworthy trends was the nation’s relatively slow rate of population growth.
The 7% growth rate from 2010 to 2020 matched a previous low from the 1930s, and 16 states saw their populations decline. One of the major factors behind this trend is a steady decline in the U.S. birthrate.
The proportion of households with children has consistently fallen since the 1960s, and the trend does not appear to be reversing. In the U.S. — as in many other developed economies — fertility rates have declined in recent decades as social, cultural, and economic structures and preferences have evolved.
More recently, increasing debt burdens on young Americans have exacerbated the problem, with many Gen X and millennial generation Americans delaying parenthood, having fewer children, or electing not to have children at all due to the costs of raising a family.
To identify the affordable locations with the most families with kids, our team of researchers gathered data on household composition and income from the U.S. Census Bureau and cost of living statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Researchers looked at the areas with the highest percentage of households with kids under 18, and included only those places where the cost of living is below the national average. For more details on our research, see the Methodology section at the end.
Here are the affordable large metropolitan areas (population 1 million or more) that have the most families with kids.
15. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 8%
- Total households with kids under 18: 235,495
- Total households: 878,645
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $85,461
- Cost of living (compared with average): -9.4%
14. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 2%
- Total households with kids under 18: 479,692
- Total households: 1,765,135
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $75,973
- Cost of living (compared with average): -1.3%
13. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 4%
- Total households with kids under 18: 244,087
- Total households: 889,822
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $67,241
- Cost of living (compared with average): -1.0%
12. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 7%
- Total households with kids under 18: 187,320
- Total households: 675,311
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $76,630
- Cost of living (compared with average): -3.6%
11. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 2%
- Total households with kids under 18: 206,800
- Total households: 733,787
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $82,355
- Cost of living (compared with average): -5.6%
10. Oklahoma City, OK
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 4%
- Total households with kids under 18: 148,865
- Total households: 523,919
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $70,823
- Cost of living (compared with average): -10.2%
9. Kansas City, MO-KS
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 4%
- Total households with kids under 18: 240,120
- Total households: 844,310
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $84,998
- Cost of living (compared with average): -7.2%
8. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 7%
- Total households with kids under 18: 281,745
- Total households: 982,241
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $84,367
- Cost of living (compared with average): -5.6%
7. Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 1%
- Total households with kids under 18: 115,393
- Total households: 396,763
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $80,056
- Cost of living (compared with average): -8.0%
6. Columbus, OH
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 1%
- Total households with kids under 18: 238,017
- Total households: 817,086
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $88,839
- Cost of living (compared with average): -8.4%
5. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 2%
- Total households with kids under 18: 242,581
- Total households: 830,598
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $71,735
- Cost of living (compared with average): -6.7%
4. Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 3%
- Total households with kids under 18: 239,348
- Total households: 818,084
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $98,965
- Cost of living (compared with average): -0.7%
3. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 3%
- Total households with kids under 18: 641,034
- Total households: 2,189,294
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $81,873
- Cost of living (compared with average): -2.1%
2. Salt Lake City, UT
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 0%
- Total households with kids under 18: 129,988
- Total households: 405,984
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $93,162
- Cost of living (compared with average): -1.4%
1. Raleigh, NC
- Percentage of households with kids under 18: 9%
- Total households with kids under 18: 171,030
- Total households: 519,648
- Median income for families with kids under 18: $101,779
- Cost of living (compared with average): -3.9%
Methodology
Data on the number of total households, number of households with children under 18, and median household income by type are from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.
Cost of living statistics come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities.
To identify the affordable locations with the most families with kids, researchers looked at the areas with the highest percentage of households with kids under 18 and included only those places where the cost of living is below the national average.
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