Today Fortune launched the third annual Fortune 50 Best Places to Live for Families 2024, showcasing the cities and towns across America that best support the unique needs of multigenerational families. Montgomery County’s very own Silver Spring was ranked first on the list.
Per Fortune, “The Washington, D.C., suburb offers local charm with the convenience of city life, just six miles away from the nation’s capital—a quick commute via the Washington Metro or MARC train.
Silver Spring stands out among its neighboring suburbs for its Arts & Entertainment District, home to 100-plus arts and humanities organizations, entertainment venues, and the like. Residents can watch an independent film at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center or see an artist perform live at the Fillmore, an iconic music venue that’s hosted everyone from Aretha Franklin to Janis Joplin. Colorful murals and vibrant community centers help bring the area to life.”
This year’s Fortune 50 Best Places to Live highlights a city in each state where multigenerational families are most likely to have access to great schools, highly recommended hospitals, affordable housing, resources for older adults, and a strong sense of community. The ranking is created annually as part of Fortune Well, Fortune’s health and wellness hub, which features tips and insights working professionals need to thrive in their careers and personal lives.
The top 10 Fortune Best Places to Live for Families 2024 are:
- Silver Spring, MD
- Township of Upper Merion, PA
- Chantilly, VA
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Mason, OH
- Franklin, TN
- Lafayette, CO
- Overland Park, KS
- Morristown, NJ
- Portsmouth, NH
“The 50 Fortune Best Places to Live for Families list is based on a robust data set to help our readers find places to settle down with ample resources to support their families for the future,” said Fortune senior reporter Alexa Mikhail, who dove into data sets to develop the ranking. “Where we live plays a critical role in determining the strength of our community ties, which most heavily impacts our well-being, happiness, and health at work and at home. It’s why a list like this is critical.”
Fortune also independently evaluated over 2,000 cities, towns, suburbs, exurbs, villages, and townships with approximately 20,000 residents or more in all 50 states. This wide-ranging analysis provided a broad array of places that offer essential resources from health care to education as well as a sense of community. The methodology can be found here.