7 Kid-friendly cities to move to in the U.S.

Here are seven cities worth moving to, and resources to dig a little deeper into what makes each one kid worthy.

We’ve done our research and would be more than happy to live in one of these cities with our families. From places with four seasons to others with year-round beach weather, these destinations are calling you. We considered kid-friendly activities, the cost of living, safety and quality of schools to come up with a well-rounded list of best cities to move with kids.

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Kid-friendly activities: Colorado Springs offers several museums, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, ballparks and plenty of outdoor activities, such as Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon, parks and waterfalls, like Seven Falls.

Affordability: Colorado Springs is an affordable city, as the cost of living is 9.8 percent less than the national average per AreaVibes.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Colorado Springs and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the schools in Colorado Springs are given a B. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Colorado Springs, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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Kid-friendly activities: With baseball spring training, Sea Life Aquarium, the Phoenix Zoo, professional sports teams, theaters, hiking, lakes, museums, Desert Botanical Gardens and water parks like Golf Land Sun Splash, there are plenty of activities and culture for the kids to experience in and around Gilbert. If you’re interested in road trips, Tombstone, Sedona and Flagstaff are a day trip away.

Affordability: The cost of living in Gilbert is equal to the national average per AreaVibes.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Gilbert and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the schools in Gilbert are given a B. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Chandler, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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Kid-friendly activities: Just 25 minutes from Seattle, Bothell offers the best of both worlds. It’s a nice, quiet suburb with nearby activities for the whole family. According to TripAdvisor, the kids will love the arboretum, Discovery Park, the Seattle Public Library, Chihuly Gardens and Glass, Seattle Children’s Theatre and more.

Affordability: It’s a little more expensive at 18 percent higher than the national average per AreaVibes.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Bothell and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the school system in Bothell is given a B. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Bothell, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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Kid-friendly activities: In addition to swimming in the gorgeous beaches of Red Reef Park and South Inlet Beach Park, the kids will love to splash at Coconut Cove Waterpark or the splashpad at Sugar Sand Park. If they prefer to stay dry, they can explore the Children’s Science Explorium or the Children’s Museum of Boca Raton.

Affordability: The cost of living is 19 percent higher than the national average, but we’d gladly pay the premium to live minutes from the ocean.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Boca Raton and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the schools in Boca Raton are given a B. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Boca Raton, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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Kid-friendly activities: With five professional sports teams, dozens of lakes, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Como Park Zoo and nearby attractions like the Mall of America and amusement park Valleyfair, there are more things to keep busy that you’ll know what to do with in the Twin Cities.

Affordability: The cost of living is just about equal with the national average, according to AreaVibes.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the schools in the city of Minneapolis are given a C+. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around the Twin Cities, visit NeighborhoodScout.

8 Kid-friendly things to do in the Twin Cities >>

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Kid-friendly activities: Just 20 minutes from Washington, D.C., educational, historical and cultural activities abound nearby (the Lincoln Memorial, Ford’s Theatre and the Smithsonian Habitat Butterfly Garden, to name a few). For a full list of landmarks, sporting events, museums, zoos, parks and theaters, visit TripAdvisor.

Affordability: We won’t fool you, Bethesda is expensive at 53 percent higher than the national average. However, it also has an A+ crime rating and an A+ employment rating, and some of the best schools in the nation are in Maryland, according to AreaVibes.

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Bethesda and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking: In general, the schools in Bethesda are given a B. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Bethesda, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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Kid-friendly activities: Obviously, a plethora of beach activities will be your main attraction, from snorkeling to surfing and deep-sea fishing. But also take a visit to the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium, Teddy Bear World and the Children’s Discovery Center.

Affordability: Yes, the cost of living is 46 percent higher than the national average, according to AreaVibes, but hello, you get to live on an island!

Safety: For detailed crime and safety information on Honolulu and surrounding areas, visit CrimeReports.

School ranking:In general, the schools in Honolulu are given a C+. For school rankings in specific neighborhoods in and around Honolulu, visit NeighborhoodScout.

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