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You already know that Columbus is a great place for family life, but now the whole world knows, thanks to a recent article in Best Life magazine. Columbus ranked fourth among American cities in the article, “The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family.”
Criteria for choosing the top family friendly cites included safety, employment, education, recreation and access to cultural activities. On the Today Show Eric Villency of Best Life told Al Roker that several criteria put Columbus over the top. Columbus citizens enjoy great access to healthcare, boasting double the number of physicians per capita as the national average. And on the education front while school districts around the country are losing teachers, Columbus has added 50 teachers per year for the last five years, Villency cited.
In order to ensure geographic diversity, weather and climate were not considered in the tally process, and ethnic diversity, party affiliation and many other factors were also omitted from consideration.
In addition to rating as a top place to raise a family, Columbus was also named one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People sponsored by Capital One and America’s Promise Alliance (APA).
APA’s criteria included research from the
National Academy of Sciences, Search
Institute and Child Trends. Winning communities
showed dedication to the Five
Promises, providing children with:
• Caring Adults
• Safe Places
• A Healthy Start
• Effective Education
• Opportunities to Help Others
Included in the criteria were Columbus’ resources and commitment to children’s educational attainment and achievement, psychological health, physical health, selfsufficiency and civic engagement.
It’s easy to take your hometown for granted, but we Valley residents have much crow about. Our diverse families benefit from cultural venues too numerous to list, including the Columbus Museum and the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, the Civic Center and The Springer. A host of parks equipped for tennis, baseball, soccer and just about any sport you can name dot the Valley landscape, and the Columbus and Phenix City Riverwalks wind along the Chattahoochee River making way for runners, rollerbladers and cyclists.
The Chattahoochee Valley Library System continues to expand and higher education thrives through Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College and Chattahoochee Valley Community College, among others.
Parents work at powerhouse companies such as Aflac, Synovus, TSYS and others, and their families worship at over 700 churches in more than 30 denominations.
Our local communities continue to thrive and progress thanks to active organizations such as the Columbus Business Improvement District, Columbus Sports Council, UpTown Columbus Inc., Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, MidTown Inc. and the Historic Columbus Foundation, ensuring a great life for our children and grandchildren for years to come.
All parents strive to raise happy, healthy children. Now Chattahoochee Valley parents can enjoy the validation that we are in the right place at the right time, one of America’s best cities to raise a family.
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contactus@valleyparent.com.
