Family-friendly Fort Worth
Fort Worth ranks 10th least expensive U.S. city to raise a family, says report

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival is a favorite family-friendly event.
It can be costly to raise a family, especially these days, but parents living in Fort Worth can welcome some good news: the city ranks as one of the least expensive American cities to raise a family.
A recent report from Harmony Healthcare IT, a data management firm that works with health data, deemed Fort Worth the 10th most economical city in the U.S. to raise a family. Also making the top 10 are DFW neighbors Plano (No. 3), Irving (No. 4), and Garland (No. 6).
No other Texas cities made it onto the list of most or least expensive.
The cheapest city to raise a family is Gilbert, Arizona, and the most expensive is San Diego, California, according to the report.
To determine the most and least family-friendly cities, Harmony Healthcare IT evaluated the 100 most populous cities in the U.S. They compared a variety of data including the cost of living, education, childcare, crime, healthcare and housing.
No. 10-ranked Fort Worth is known for warm greetings and hospitality, inviting neighborhoods, and a vibrant and rich culture. While offering a “small-town feel,” the city offers “big-city perks,” touts the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. Residents know some of those perks include a top-ranked zoo, botanical garden, science museum, and more. Annual family-friendly events include the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, and Mayfest.
Similarly, the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce describes Irving, the No. 4 least expensive city to raise a family, as a “great place to live, work, play and raise a family.” It boasts a wide variety of housing, from contemporary affordability to high-end luxury. The chamber also notes the city’s 190 acres of parks and greenbelts, 17 miles of canal waterways, 10 miles of riverside hiking and biking trails and four libraries.
Garland, ranked No. 6, has the 10th largest school district in Texas and remains dedicated to quality teaching and interaction for every individual student, according to the Garland Chamber of Commerce. One of Garland ISD’s most popular advantages is that parents are able to choose the campus they wish to have their child attend.
So, what helped Plano score the top ranking in Texas?
The Plano Chamber of Commerce touts Plano as “the best city to live in Texas,” thanks to an exceptional academic environment, diverse population, residential neighborhoods, and outstanding city amenities, according to the chamber website. Its diverse population “comes together to create a connected community with a distinctive friendly nature and independent spirit,” the chamber website states.
The Plano ISD plays a vital role in Plano’s economic success and lures both families and companies to the city, according to the Plano Chamber of Commerce. With enrollment of 52,629 students, PISD boasts one of the highest performances on college entrance exams in the nation.
To view Harmony Healthcare IT’s full report, click here.