Wylie has been named the number one best small city, among those with populations of 25,000 to 100,000, in the country for families. The list of top 10 cities was compiled by NerdWallet.com, a personal finance website, utilizing criteria including income and affordability, prosperity and growth, and family friendliness.
“Wylie is indeed a wonderful place to raise a family, and it’s exciting to see this ranking go from second last year to first – in the nation – this year,” said Mayor Eric Hogue. “Our community continues to maintain its heart and hometown warmth even as we welcome new retail and restaurants, new housing, and a new college campus to town.”
NerdWallet ranked Wylie high in housing affordability, with median home value of $154,600. It noted the median household income as $83,594, population growth from 2009-2014 of 27.48 percent, and income growth for the same time period of 19.16 percent. The percentage of families with children under 18 years of age was listed as 49 percent, while the percentage with children in poverty is only 4.9. Wylie’s overall score was 78.58.
The website noted Wylie’s proximity to Dallas and its location near Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Lavon, both of which provide access to outdoor activities for families. NerdWallet noted Wylie has the second-most affordable homes in the top 10 and the seventh-highest median annual income growth, which jumped over 19 percent from 2009 to 2014. Schools in Wylie earned a rating of nine out of 10 by reviewers at GreatSchools.org.Rounding out the rest of the top 10 were Spring Hill, Tenn., second; Leander, Texas, third; Bentonville, Ark., fourth; Carmel, Ind., fifth; Pearland, Texas, sixth; League City, Texas, seventh; Allen, Texas, eighth; Little Elm, Texas, ninth; and Wildwood, Mo., 10th.
Wylie was ranked second in NerdWallet’s Best Places for Young Families in Texas list last year.
More: http://www.forbes.com/sites/monicawang/2016/08/02/the-best-small-american-cities-for-families/#75b0683d4b4b