WalletHub ranks this Ohio city as one of the worst places to raise a family

Among 182 U.S. cities, WalletHub ranked the best and worst places to raise a family in 2026. Although Columbus did not make the list, it may or may not come as a surprise to find out which Ohio city did.

Falling only two places before dead last, Cleveland is named one of the worst cities to raise a family. Coming in at a steep 180, Cleveland scored 35.14 based on the ranking metrics that consider essential family dynamics on a 100-point scale. The data set used assessed dimensions such as affordability, school quality, and unemployment rate.

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Cleveland’s family fun rank of 85 falls in line with the No. 1 city to raise a family, Fremont, California, while its socioeconomic rank fell below average at 181.

While it’s not the worst, coming in just before Memphis, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan, it certainly isn’t the best representation of Ohio.

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