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Top 10 Safest Cities for Kids
Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Big Kids
Did your city make the list? Credit: Corbis
Boston, Columbus, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky. are leading the way with programs aimed at reducing the risk of fire deaths, pedestrian accidents and other mishaps that contribute to the estimated 14 million potentially disabling, unintentional injuries that children sustain each year, Reuters reports. Minneapolis, New York, Portland, Ore., San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Fla., and Virginia Beach, Va., also make the top 10 list of the "Safest Cities for Families with Young Children."
"It's clear that most cities are doing great things to improve safety at home and in the community," says Gus Schaefer of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Northbrook, Ill.-based independent safety certification provider that commissioned the research, in a release.
The study was commissioned to look at best safety practices for cities and outline tips to help parents reduce preventable accidents, he says. The study looked at 25 safety criteria including proximity of hospitals, bike helmet laws and how quickly local fire departments respond to determine the safest cities for young children.
Some of the highlights of the study:
- Boston: Most hospitals per capita
- Portland: Lowest drowning rate and good air quality
- Virginia Beach: Scored high for a seat belt law that requires passengers under 18 to wear them, even if they are in the back seat
- New York: Firefighters were the fastest responders to emergencies
Also, 47 out of 50 cities had some nonsmoking legislation and an equal number required carbon monoxide alarms.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 2)
10-01-2010 @ 12:18PM
3boys said...Which Portland?
Reply
10-04-2010 @ 4:40PM
Erica said...Oregon
10-02-2010 @ 9:56AM
Gary Mayer said...3boys: I noticed that too. In the article, the writer mentions Boston, Columbus, OH and Louisville, KY, which comes across as east coast elitism. Any person with an IQ above 70 knows which Columbus, although there are many smaller towns than the city in Ohio, and which Louisville, they are referring to.
Portland, OR and Portland, ME are both well-recognized cities. If you live in Portland, ME I would feel slighted because the author is probably referring to Portland, OR.
10-02-2010 @ 10:00AM
Jeanette O'Connor said...Ore. = Oregan
10-02-2010 @ 3:04PM
Sharon said...You with the 3 boys...stop worrying about elitism! Just raise your boys the right way....that's all you have to do!!! You are already making them think as you do..........SHAME on you!
10-02-2010 @ 9:43AM
Gary Mayer said...If I had young kids I would raise them in Madison, WI. It is a low crime city with great medical facilities, lots of seasonal range, surrounded by water and clean.
The added benefit is that they have a huge, well-respected university so I wouldn't have to pay room and board and send them off to nowhere land. They could live at home. In Wisconsin, I understand in-state students pay less than half the tuition paid by out-of-state students.
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10-02-2010 @ 9:42AM
Diane said...The poll is skewed. The community culture would dictate whether or not a school system is good, or not. The crime rate would dictate whether or not a community culture is assimilated to Americanism, or not. Is this "writer" a millenial? The ineptness is incredulous!
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 9:57AM
Gary Mayer said...Diane: I agree. One thing I failed to note about Madison is that it is one of the most cultural cities in the U.S., always rated high for livability; but, the negatives are that the city's culture is very politically correct and far-left, so not a good place for conservatives.
Columbus, Ohio ranks in the top ten to raise children and, although it is not as pretty a city as Madison, it is more conservative, despite the presence of a large university, Ohio State.
10-02-2010 @ 2:47PM
sororoma said...I thought the same things. Going with one choice often means going with one or two others. I actually picked the crime rate. I spent some younger years in towns and boroughs with a bit of toughness and near Philly. The better the crime rate then schools are usually better. Cultural diversity can still come from less crime areas although there are those who do not think so. If there isn't then there does come more responsibility, if possible, for parents to find ways to promote and find environments for this. People may think weather is not a factor unless your child suffers from weather related issues. Humidity destroys me and I now live in Santa Fe, NM instead of the Great North East. Although SF, NM is not crime ridden it has more issues than communities I did live in but I do not have children. I am already culturally diverse due to my earlier neighborhoods as well as my then and current congregations. My schools were good but because of the towns I lived in were near but further away than most who attended I did not have as much access to the programs and so on as those who lived near the schools did. But these are my observations and experiences.
10-02-2010 @ 9:56AM
Sandra said...I don't care what anyone say's...There is No Safe Place To Live no matter what people try to do to stop it...No city or state or country is better than the other or safer...Just like people think they live in a safe place and brag they do,then when something does happen THEY come out and say I can't believe that happen here it was so quiet never any problem's..Wake Up it happen's every where no matter if it's a safe place to live....
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 11:16AM
kim said...Aint that the truth, folks kill me talking about.."oh its so quiet here and nothing ever happened like that here.. DUH.. wake up idiots . its always a first time.. things happen everywhere and sometimes thosequiet neighhoods are where all the wife killings, child snatching and raping and serial killing and school shootings happens.. wake up people crime is everywhere, in every city (your city too) all races commit horrible crimes ALL races.. dont be fooled to think its only black people.. just like AIDS have no names races or color of skin on it. Some people are just brainwashed!! Like some horrible disese says i will only infect a certain type of person!!
10-02-2010 @ 1:55PM
mtknibbesr said...Sandra, Amen, Although, I am a native Texan and I yearn for rhose days of way back when, today, and I have lived all over the US and raised three children, the states named in this survey as the safest are a joke. When I read San Francisco, I nearly fell out of my chair. I had the privlige of being able to look out my bedroom window and see the Golden Gate Bridge but then my children were grown, thank the powers that be. Now my grandchildren that live in Texas go to a private Catholic school. My greatgrandchildren in California go to a small town school but it is elite and my granddaughter still worries and rightfully so. I also have some in a small town in Iowa, population 800. The nearest police department is about 30 miles. I told my husband at the rate we are deroying this planet, I fear we are worrying for nothing1`
There is not a safe place, unless you are with your child, 24/7. I've lived in manyof the towns named and I can tell you San Francisco is not safe for anyone. What a joke. Take care.
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10-02-2010 @ 2:25PM
Zelda said...WONDERING WHY YOUR VIOLENT CRIME STATS ARE GOING DOWN SO DRAMATICALLY? I mean, does it seem safer out there to you? NO? Well . . . here is how it's done: When a repeat offender is on probation and commits a new crime, instead of the new crime being classified and tabulated, it's classified as a VOP--Violation of Probation. NO IT WASN'T YOUR IMAGINATION. They can take statistics and make them say anything they want them to say.
10-02-2010 @ 12:02PM
Lily said...TO PARENTS IN BAD SCHOOL DISTRICTS:
MOST parents DON'T have to send their child to the local school. Most parents have figured this out, but for those unaware: You obtain an "INTER DISTRICT TRANSFER" starting with the application form FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT you wish your child to attend. Research it online..most states make actual test scores available to the public somewhere online...dont make the mistake of thinking better economic neighborhoods have better schools. It doesn't always follow. MAKE SURE. Hopefully the district is CLOSE to your home so that providing your own transportation isn't a problem or seen to be a POSSIBLE PROBLEM to either district (your local one or the one to which you apply). YOUR LOCAL DISTRIC must release your child to atend teh chosen district. THEREFORE---->on the applicatiopn you will be asked to indicate why your child cannot receive his educational needs in his own district. This reason needs to be UNarguable to both districts to be safe. It an be as simple as your child lives with grandma (fudge if necessary but don't do it without consulting grandma because they do random checks and letters to verify residence)...your child may have "special education" needs that the better district has but yours does not. It cannot simply be that your district sucks and can educate your child as well as the chosen district can (it SHOULD be enough reason, but it is not considered so). Discover what differences exist in academic programs and special classes, facilities, adhd accommodations, etc..there will be something you can site. Your child cannot have a pattern of disciplinary or truancy problems (the chosen district will be concerned about this). The conditon of being allowed to maintain continued attendance in the chosen district will be absence of disciplinary problems (beyond normal for his/her age group and no attendance problems..transportation being YOUR responsibility). If your local district will not release your child for any reason and you'd rather not battle them, Catholic (parochial) schools don't require the student or family to be Catholic to attend. Tuition is usually quite low and school service arrangements.exchanges can be made to lessen the tuition..such as working school functions like monthly Bingo nights or bake sales or carnivals etc. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR CHILD. His/her needs won't wait for this country to go through some metamorphosis in the education system. Every semester or year lost is a year lost out of their productive adult or college lives...they keep getting further and further behind the eight ball while we fantasize about better education, yet meanwhile allow it to go on.
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 12:25PM
Annetta said...Anywhere in Hawaii, children are cherished and very protected.
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 12:44PM
Lisa said...Not really sure I agree with Tampa, Florida. I lived in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, and this is a very high crime area. Sure, they might be doing a lot regarding "making things safe" for kids... that might be because they NEED to improve things. Don't know that I'm convinvced this is a legitimate poll. We live (since 2007) in Casper, Wyoming, and we are thrilled with things, on many levels. The schools are ranked some of the best in the nation, there is a park with a playground every dozen blocks or so, the crime rate is relatively low, and there are a plethora of indoor and outdoor activities available. Wyomingites LOVE the great outdoors, and kids have tons of opportunities to enjoy it!! Sometimes, I think Wyoming is not only The Cowboy State, but also The Forgotten State. It is a wonderful place to live, and a great place to raise a family!!
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10-02-2010 @ 2:21PM
expat said...raise them in a predominately white , middle to upper class community. simple.
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10-02-2010 @ 2:01PM
david said...You cant walk into any restaurant in the state of Kentucky that isnt full of smoke. I cant believe Louisville ranked high in anything positive. It also has a very large public housing sector for such a small city. Half of the city is ghetto and there are shootings almost every weekend. I cringe whenever I have to travel there.
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 2:05PM
david said...Diane,
You are trying a little to hard to appear intelligent. You mis-used three words and this isn't a poll, its an article based on research data.
Reply
10-02-2010 @ 2:18PM
Zelda said...Gee I voted for Community Culture. I mean that in a positive way. I would want my child to grow up accepting ethnic diversity within a homogenous culture. This is the glory and essence of America.
Reply