When it comes to good places to raise a family, Virginia, and specifically some cities and counties in greater Hampton Roads along with the Richmond and D.C. suburban areas, fare well in recent national rankings.
This is a big plus, one that the commonwealth should work both to maintain for the good of families, and to capitalize on when competing for new businesses and skilled workers.
Family-friendly places are a hot topic, partly because the birth rate in the United States hit an all-time low last year, lower than the number considered necessary to keep the population at its current size. For the record, the U.S. birth rate in 2024 was 1.6 — meaning women average having 1.6 children over their lifetime — when a 2.1 rate is needed to keep future population numbers stable.
It’s a misleading oversimplification to claim that the birth rate is down because women are abandoning traditional family structures in favor of education and careers. The Washington Post, which recently graded every county across the U.S. in an effort to find the best places to raise children, pointed out that data from the Pew Research Center show that more than 7 out of 10 people in their 20s and 30s have or plan to have at least one child, and a majority aged 18-34 who don’t already have kids say they hope to someday.
Those prospective parents, however, face a number of challenges. The Post report focused on four considerations that potential parents likely weigh in deciding where they want to raise a family, or whether they plan to bring up children where they live.
Affordability is a big issue, with the cost of housing, food, child care and health care high on that list. So is the quality of education. Another — one that ranked high for several Virginia locales that fared well in the rankings — is whether a community is a safe place to raise kids. Most places in the state ranked reasonably high on all three of those issues, although affordability varied considerably.
The Post’s fourth consideration had to do with state policy on abortion: Couples may be hesitant to conceive if they live in a state with almost no abortion access even for problematic pregnancies. Again, many places in Virginia, where abortion is still relatively accessible, ranked toward the top. Virginia Beach, for example, scored 82 out of 100 for abortion policy, 81 for safety, 78 for education quality and 63 for affordability.
Keep in mind that not every family has the flexibility to move wherever they choose. And different families care more about different things. Affordability may by the No. 1 concern for many, while others may focus more on education or a safe environment,
By most standards, Virginia fares well, usually receiving good ratings — often in the top 10 in the nation — when other publications and websites tackle the question of where to raise a family.
This is a good position for the commonwealth, but officials should keep in mind that continuing support and wise policy decisions will be needed to maintain it.
Virginia and its cities and counties should work to make child care more available and affordable. Affordable housing, especially for young families, should be a priority. We should work to keep the job market strong, with a wide range of opportunities.
Investment in education is needed and high standards must be pursued. Medical decisions, including abortion laws, should be reasonable. On the state and local levels, we should continue to support parks, museums, cultural opportunities, hiking and biking trails, and other amenities important to families.
For now, Virginia is home to many communities that are attractive to young, growing families. We should make that asset a central part of our regional and national economic development and job recruitment efforts. Growing the state’s employment base will in turn help to keep that good quality of life flourishing as we move into the future.
