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America's 10 Best Places to Grow Up

U.S. News and World Report surveyed cities across the US to determine the best places to raise kids. They took into account crime rates, school system ratings, cultural opportunities, recreational activities, child-friendly policies, and other factors. The results:

Virginia Beach, Virginia
Madison, Alabama
San Jose, California
Overland Park, Kansas
Boston, Massachusetts
Denver, Colorado
Rochester, Minnesota
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Plano, Texas
Edison, New Jersey

The advantages of each city are listed in the story and slide show. Link -via Digg

I live in Plano. It's actually a great place to live. If I were to have children, I would be happy to raise them here. There are great schools, safe neighborhoods, loads of recreational fields and activities. It's a genuinely nice place.
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America's best place to grow up...?

If I have to believe my nephew who was born in Miami Fl. and then moved about twice a year because of the job of his dad, America's best place to grow up is somewhere outside it's borders...
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Hmmm... seems like many of these "cities" are actually car-oriented suburbs. Kind of cramps kids' styles if they have to depend on their parents for rides everywhere, no?
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Edison, NJ? They've obviously never been there, either, because it's nothing special at all. No different than any other boring NJ suburb & with a top-to-bottom corrupt police dept. & political scene as well.
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I grew up in Cedar Rapids, IA. It is a low crime town with plenty to do. Who needs a car when you can ride a bike all over the place. On a good day, it would take less than an hour to bike from one side of town to the other.
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Boston ???

Are they high ???

Possibly the most politically corrupt city in the country (Big Dig construction fiasco), with the most repressive laws this side of cold war Moscow. And marijuana is now sneakily decriminalised (which means its not a felony, but you'll never get a federal job, or a handgun permit, so go ahead and light up in front of that State cop!). And they have mandatory health care, enforced by garnishing your tax return for $2,000.

All adult issues, I realize, but it sure turns Dad into an angry, road-rage-prone son of a Pilgrim.
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Va. Beach? Whatever. Va. Beach is a very conservative area, living under the shadow of Pat Robertson who's tv network is there. One of his companies just purchased the newspapers (or tried to) about a year or so ago. If you think intolerance is a family value, then it's a great place to raise kids.
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What a joke. Many of these places are soul-less tributes to sprawl and american corporate culture. Whoever compiled this list obviously hasn't spent any time in Plano, Texas - which in actuality is one of the outer planes of Hell. Your millage may vary...
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I grew up in the military.

Sorry folks, nothing so far has beat Wiesbaden, Germany or Christmas in Frankfurt. The store displays even in the mid 60's rock my socks off. Animatronic heaven on earth.
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my husband is from virginia beach- and though it has it's nice parts...the fact that it's smooshed right up against norfolk, newport news, and suffolk are enough to say 'no thanks'. chesapeake is right there, and fairly nice...but good lord there are a lot of people and not a lot of breathing room.
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when i grew up in frisco, a town on the north border of plano, all we ever heard about the plano kids were massiver heroin overdoses. they seemed to have cleaned up their act since, and the police offices are strict when it comes to unruly teens out driving.
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LAWRENCE over OVERLAND PARK? HAHAHAHAHA I grew up in Overland Park but currently go to the University of Kansas in Lawrence. By no means would I EVER raise a family in Lawrence. Its a great party town surrounded by college students and hippies. Thats about it. If you want a great environment for children, Overland Park is definitely the place.
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