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Choosing where to raise a family comes with a long checklist.
Safety is a given, but so are practical realities like affordability and access to quality education and healthcare.
While living in the suburbs, or somewhere super rual, has its charms, city life often means more cultural activities, green spaces and kid-friendly attractions.
Read more: 15 best free family activities in Montreal for March Break
A new report from Compare the Market AU set out to answer exactly that. The study evaluated and weighted nine key indicators to rank the top 50 cities worldwide with an overall index score.
What is the best city in the world to raise a family?
Brisbane ranked as the best city for raising kids, earning a score of 6.457/10.
Factors included safety ratings, the World Happiness Score, the number of things to do with kids, monthly cost of living, national family benefits spending, statutory parental leave policies, child vaccination rates, education spending and green space per capita. In short, it’s one of the most comprehensive snapshots yet of what makes a city family-friendly.
The Queensland capital stood out for its abundance of green space—boasting 84.89 parks and playgrounds per 100,000 people—and family-friendly outdoor hubs like the South Bank, Roma Street Parklands and the city’s two Brisbane Botanic Gardens. It also posted the second-highest safety score, while Australia ranked sixth overall for happiness among countries in the index.
Montreal came in at 31, ranking below Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and (wait for it) Toronto.
Check out: Best things to do in Montreal
While Montreal had a relatively high safety and happiness score, when it came to the full index the city lagged behind.
Check out the table showing the full index by clicking this link.
Where is the best place to raise a family in Canada?
Toronto ranked higher than Montreal, squeaking in just ahead of Montreal at 29.
Overall, the index scores for both cities were pretty comparable with the exception of green spaces per capita and things to do with kids (Toronto ranked higher), and monthly cost of living (Montreal came in lower).
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