For the second year in a row, Business Week magazine named Arcadia as the “best place to raise your kids” in the entire state of California for 2010, and therefore one of its picks as Best Cities to Raise Kids in America.
Business Week’s photo (with inexplicable L.A. city skyline) to go with its selection of Arcadia as best city to raise your kids in California for second consecutive year.
The selections were limited to towns that have at least 45,000 residents and a median income of between $40,000 and $125,000.
Just as the Breeders’ Cup came back to Arcadia for an unprecedented second year in a row this month and the choice for the Rose Queen was an Arcadia resident for the 3rd year in a row, Arcadia was one of the few towns to make the Business Week list for the second year in a row even though the weighted criteria shifted slighty.
Affordability, safety*, and school test scores were given the greatest weight, this year, according to the magazine, with other criteria based on number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities, and diversity.
In its recognition on November 17, 2009 (complete text below the video), the national magazine once again cited Arcadia schools, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, and this time noted low crime as three notable elements that make Arcadia the best place in California to raise your kids.
The video below from last year features comments about the first recognition by Business Week from the president of the school board, the school district superintendent, the City manager, the head of the Arboretum, and the executive director of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce.
From Business Week:
Best Place to Raise Your Kids: California Arcadia
Nearest city: Los Angeles Population: 55,817 Median family income: $83,480 Runners-up: Monterey Park, Diamond Bar
Arcadia, located about 20 miles from Los Angeles, is the state’s best place to raise kids for the second consecutive year because of its low crime and excellent schools. The population of Arcadia includes a number of peacocks that hang out in the neighborhood near the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden.