You can ‘wander Indiana’ or you can just take a look below at HomeSnacks’ list of best places for families for 2024.
We suggest you do the latter because there are some dangerous places at The Crossroads of America that you should definitely avoid; and two HomeSnacks has taken the guessing out of that search and consulted the latest US Census on places in this Midwest state with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors including crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 67 family friendly Indiana places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Now, it’s not lost on us that some of Indiana’s safest places and wealthiest places are also Indiana’s most family friendly. There should be no limits one should go to to protect their family and Indiana’s most family friendly cities have those limits in place; and sometimes, that comes at a cost.
All seriousness aside, our research discovered that Indiana is a pretty cool state with some pretty cool family friendly activities. You can have your family at the zoo in Indianapolis and at a Lake Michigan beach in Portage all in the same weekend. We call that an Indiana win!
Want to know where else your family will always win in Indiana? Take a look below at Indiana’s best of the best places for families to live.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Indiana For 2024
When you choose to live in one of Indiana’s’ best places for families, you are choosing to live where you can keep your family safe, happy, and healthy. You are choosing to live where your Indiana salary will go the furthest for your family. And that, Hoosiers, makes perfect sense.
So, what’s the best place for families to live in Indiana for 2024? Drum roll… the number one best place for families in The Hoosier State is Zionsville based on the most recent Census data.
To see how your favorite place in Indiana compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Indiana and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Indiana
- Cheapest Places To Live In Indiana
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Indiana For 2024
/10
Population: 30,832
Median Income: $152,788
Average Home Price: $571,985
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 40
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 40.8%
More on Zionsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 26,073
Median Income: $72,344
Average Home Price: $255,388
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 37.5%
More on Franklin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,842
Median Income: $90,686
Average Home Price: $301,935
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 42
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 37.7%
More on Danville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 99,453
Median Income: $132,859
Average Home Price: $519,540
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 35.8%
More on Carmel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,316
Median Income: $58,635
Average Home Price: $242,744
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 55
Closest Major City: Fort Wayne
Households with kids: 34.8%
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,723
Median Income: $77,375
Average Home Price: $299,747
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 44
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 40.2%
More on Lowell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 14,191
Median Income: $90,753
Average Home Price: $298,561
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 34.1%
More on Chesterton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 33,735
Median Income: $92,810
Average Home Price: $333,979
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 36
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 34.7%
More on Crown Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 70,442
Median Income: $99,458
Average Home Price: $358,434
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 42.4%
More on Noblesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 48,262
Median Income: $117,519
Average Home Price: $431,094
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 38
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 41.5%
More on Westfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Indiana anyways?
To give you the places in Indiana that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Indiana, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Indiana, that meant a total of 67 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Indiana.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Indiana
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Indiana ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Indiana are Zionsville, Franklin, Danville, Carmel, Auburn, Lowell, Chesterton, Crown Point, Noblesville, and Westfield.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Indiana according to the data:
- Terre Haute
- Clarksville
- Mishawaka
For more Indiana reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Indiana
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zionsville, IN | 30,832 | $152,788 | $571,985 | 64 |
| 2 | Franklin, IN | 26,073 | $72,344 | $255,388 | 60 |
| 3 | Danville, IN | 10,842 | $90,686 | $301,935 | 55 |
| 4 | Carmel, IN | 99,453 | $132,859 | $519,540 | 64 |
| 5 | Auburn, IN | 13,316 | $58,635 | $242,744 | 63 |
| 6 | Lowell, IN | 10,723 | $77,375 | $299,747 | 54 |
| 7 | Chesterton, IN | 14,191 | $90,753 | $298,561 | 42 |
| 8 | Crown Point, IN | 33,735 | $92,810 | $333,979 | 43 |
| 9 | Noblesville, IN | 70,442 | $99,458 | $358,434 | 56 |
| 10 | Westfield, IN | 48,262 | $117,519 | $431,094 | 51 |