The 30 Worst Cities for Raising a Kid

There are roughly 759,109 factors that influence how a kid turns out. Setting aside genetics, chief among them is the kind of household mom and dad create. But a close second is the environment—including the zip code—a kid is reared in. Everything from crime and graduation rates to air quality levels and access to exercise can play a significant role. To that end, we dove deep into these figures to ID which cities in the United States are the absolute least ideal for raising a child.

A quick note on the data: it all comes from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Most of it is self-explanatory, except for these two. "Disconnected Youth" is the percentage of teens and young adults ages 16 to 24 who are neither working nor in school, while "Severe Housing Problems" lists the percentage of households with severe problems, like overcrowding, inadequate kitchen area, or a lack of plumbing. If you're looking to raise a family, you might want to pack your bags first. And for more amazing parenting advice, learn all about the 20 Biggest Regrets Nearly Every Parent Has.

30 Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Rancho Cucamonga, happiest cities, fittest cities, healthiest cities, worst singles scenes, longest commutes, commute — Kit Leong / Shutterstock

Population: 176,534
High School Graduation Rate: 81%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 84%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.2
Severe Housing Problems: 28%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 150.68
Raising Kids Index: 50.79

And for more rankings of American zip codes, here are The 50 Most Caffeinated Cities in America.

29 Lancaster, CA

Population: 160,106
High School Graduation Rate: 79%
Disconnected Youth: 14%
Excessive Drinking: 17%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.4
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 94%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.4
Severe Housing Problems: 34%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 688.92
Raising Kids Index: 50.01

You'd also have a pretty long drive living here, as Lancaster is one of The 50 Cities with the Worst Commutes in America.

28 Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, happiest cities, best singles scenes, flip a house, longest commutes, commute, rent, property, best job opportunities, sleepless cities, best sports fans

Population: 3,976,322
High School Graduation Rate: 79%
Disconnected Youth: 14%
Excessive Drinking: 17%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.4
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 94%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.4
Severe Housing Problems: 34%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 724.71
Raising Kids Index: 49.65

27 Montgomery, AL

Montgomery, drunkest cities — Shutterstock

Population: 200,022
High School Graduation Rate: 79%
Disconnected Youth: 16%
Excessive Drinking: 16%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 75%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.2
Severe Housing Problems: 19%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 607.43
Raising Kids Index: 49.63

Might be best to keep kids away from here, since Montgomery is also one of the The 100 Drunkest Cities in America.

26 Augusta, GA

fattest cities, best singles scenes, best drinking water — ESB Professional / Shutterstock

Population: 197,081
High School Graduation Rate: 78%
Disconnected Youth: 22%
Excessive Drinking: 15%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 71%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.2
Severe Housing Problems: 20%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 11.16
Raising Kids Index: 49.59

25 Mobile, AL

Mobile, drunkest cities, fattest cities — Shutterstock

Population: 192,904
High School Graduation Rate: 86%
Disconnected Youth: 20%
Excessive Drinking: 16%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 73%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10
Severe Housing Problems: 18%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 885.93
Raising Kids Index: 49.54

24 Ontario, CA

Streets of Ontario city in California with beautiful mountains in the background — Shutterstock

Population: 173,212
High School Graduation Rate: 81%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 84%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.2
Severe Housing Problems: 28%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 347.55
Raising Kids Index: 48.82

23 Shreveport, LA

fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, best job opportunities, sleepless cities — Shutterstock

Population: 194,920
High School Graduation Rate: 75%
Disconnected Youth: 20%
Excessive Drinking: 15%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 84%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.2
Severe Housing Problems: 17%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 956.80
Raising Kids Index: 48.63

22 McAllen, TX

mcallen texas drunkest cities fattest cities, best job opportunities, worst drinking water — Shutterstock

Population: 142,212
High School Graduation Rate: 87%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 14%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 8.9
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 62%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 8.9
Severe Housing Problems: 28%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 151.18
Raising Kids Index: 48.49

21 Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque, rent, property, sleepless cities

Population: 559,277
High School Graduation Rate: 62%
Disconnected Youth: 14%
Excessive Drinking: 16%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 8.5
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 92%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 8.5
Severe Housing Problems: 19%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,116.62
Raising Kids Index: 48.23

20 Fontana, CA

fontana california — Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Population: 209,665
High School Graduation Rate: 81%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 84%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.2
Severe Housing Problems: 28%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 414.95
Raising Kids Index: 48.15

19 Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, best sports fans

Population: 385,809
High School Graduation Rate: 75%
Disconnected Youth: 15%
Excessive Drinking: 17%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 12.9
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 96%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 12.9
Severe Housing Problems: 19%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,632.67
Raising Kids Index: 47.87

18 Rockford, IL

Population: 147,651
High School Graduation Rate: 74%
Disconnected Youth: 18%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10.5
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 93%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10.5
Severe Housing Problems: 17%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,655.25
Raising Kids Index: 46.65

You might also want to steer clear, since Rockford is also one of The 25 U.S. Cities with the Worst Drinking Water.

17 Milwaukee, WI

fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, rent, property, best job opportunities, sleepless cities, best sports fans — Shutterstock

Population: 595,047
High School Graduation Rate: 74%
Disconnected Youth: 15%
Excessive Drinking: 25%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10.7
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 99%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10.7
Severe Housing Problems: 22%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,546.26
Raising Kids Index: 46.64

16 Philadelphia, PA

fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, longest commutes, commute, rent, property, best job opportunities, sleepless cities, best drinking water, best sports fans — Shutterstock

Population: 1,567,872
High School Graduation Rate: 70%
Disconnected Youth: 20%
Excessive Drinking: 22%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 97%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.2
Severe Housing Problems: 24%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 990.77
Raising Kids Index: 46.09

15 Washington D.C.

Washington DC, D.C., drunkest cities, happiest cities, fittest cities, healthiest cities, best singles scenes, flip a house, longest commutes, commute, rent, property, best job opportunities, best sports fans — Shutterstock

Population: 681,170
High School Graduation Rate: 68%
Disconnected Youth: 16%
Excessive Drinking: 28%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10.9
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 100%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10.9
Severe Housing Problems: 22%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,132.02
Raising Kids Index: 45.58

14 Toledo, OH

fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, sleepless cities — Shutterstock

Population: 278,508
High School Graduation Rate: 60%
Disconnected Youth: 14%
Excessive Drinking: 19%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.4
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 95%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.4
Severe Housing Problems: 17%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,191.71
Raising Kids Index: 44.68

13 Memphis, TN

Memphis Tennessee American Cities Vacation Destinations — Shutterstock

Population: 652,717
High School Graduation Rate: 78%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 13%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 9.8
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 87%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 9.8
Severe Housing Problems: 21%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,830.35
Raising Kids Index: 44.40

12 Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield, drunkest cities, worst singles scenes, flip, best job opportunities, worst drinking water

Population: 376,380
High School Graduation Rate: 83%
Disconnected Youth: 22%
Excessive Drinking: 19%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 13.9
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 78%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 13.9
Severe Housing Problems: 26%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 483.82
Raising Kids Index: 44.36

11 Fresno, CA

fresno california sleepless cities, worst drinking water — Shutterstock

Population: 522,053
High School Graduation Rate: 82%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 16%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.3
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 79%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.3
Severe Housing Problems: 29%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 614.11
Raising Kids Index: 44.16

10 Little Rock, AR

Little Rock, fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, sleepless cities

Population: 198,541
High School Graduation Rate: 72%
Disconnected Youth: 16%
Excessive Drinking: 16%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 12.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 87%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 12.2
Severe Housing Problems: 16%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,533.18
Raising Kids Index: 43.87

9 Baltimore, MD

Population: 614,664
High School Graduation Rate: 70%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10.3
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 99%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10.3
Severe Housing Problems: 23%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,791.22
Raising Kids Index: 43.19

8 Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis, drunkest cities, fattest cities, flip, rent, property, sleepless cities, best sports fans — Shutterstock

Population: 855,164
High School Graduation Rate: 72%
Disconnected Youth: 16%
Excessive Drinking: 19%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 12.3
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 87%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 12.3
Severe Housing Problems: 19%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,392.36
Raising Kids Index: 42.18

7 Las Vegas, NV

Population: 632,912
High School Graduation Rate: 72%
Disconnected Youth: 18%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 8.9
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 96%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 8.9
Severe Housing Problems: 22%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 2,136.16
Raising Kids Index: 41.54

6 Jackson, MS

Population: 169,148
High School Graduation Rate: 68%
Disconnected Youth: 16%
Excessive Drinking: 12%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 73%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10
Severe Housing Problems: 21%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 857.83
Raising Kids Index: 41.52

5 Detroit, MI

detroit michigan sleepless cities, best sports fans

Population: 672,795
High School Graduation Rate: 79%
Disconnected Youth: 21%
Excessive Drinking: 20%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 11.5
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 93%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 11.5
Severe Housing Problems: 22%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 2,037.02
Raising Kids Index: 39.83

4 Salem, OR

Salem, drunkest cities, best drinking water

Population: 167,419
High School Graduation Rate: 74%
Disconnected Youth: 17%
Excessive Drinking: 17%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 8.8
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 59%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 8.8
Severe Housing Problems: 22%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 318.36
Raising Kids Index: 39.82

3 San Bernardino, CA

San Bernardino California most dangerous cities — Shutterstock

Population: 216,239
High School Graduation Rate: 81%
Disconnected Youth: 19%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 14.2
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 84%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 14.2
Severe Housing Problems: 28%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,330.93
Raising Kids Index: 38.99

2 Stockton, CA

Stockton, happiest cities, worst singles scenes, longest commutes, best job opportunities — Shutterstock

Population: 307,072
High School Graduation Rate: 82%
Disconnected Youth: 18%
Excessive Drinking: 18%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 9.7
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 73%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 9.7
Severe Housing Problems: 27%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 1,426.70
Raising Kids Index: 37.53

1 Columbia, SC

Columbia, fattest cities, drunkest cities, best singles scenes, best cities to buy a mansion

Population: 134,309
High School Graduation Rate: 63%
Disconnected Youth: 10%
Excessive Drinking: 19%
Food Environment Index (1–10): 10
Access to Exercise Opportunities: 65%
Air Pollution (average daily PM2.5): 10
Severe Housing Problems: 18%
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K people): 830.92
Raising Kids Index: 34.99

And for more great city rankings, especially if you're looking to start a family, check out The 50 Best Cities for Buying a Bigger House.

To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!

Alex Daniel A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. Read more Filed UnderCities • Family • Kids Read This Next

The 100 Happiest Cities in America
Where high income, high life satisfaction, and low inequality reign. August 9, 2017
The 50 Best Cities in the U.S. for Flipping a House
When you're looking to make a tidy sum in real estate, take a look at these cities. September 5, 2017
The 50 Cities with the Best Singles Scenes in America
Where to live when you're looking for love. August 17, 2017
The 50 Cities with the Worst Commutes in America
The cities where you'll be spending the most time in traffic. August 28, 2017
The 20 Best Cities to Visit Before You Die
Grab a tailored suit in Hong Kong and nosh on the decadent cuisine in Barcelona. The world is yours. July 13, 2016
The 50 Healthiest Cities in America
The meccas for active, healthy people—from coast to coast. August 15, 2017
The 50 Best Cities for Buying a Bigger House
Where in the U.S. to go big. (Really big.) June 7, 2018
The 50 Hardest Partying Cities in America
The locales that are always up for a (very) good time September 8, 2017
The World's Longest Zip Line Is More Epic Than You Ever Imagined—Video
It opened today in UAE. February 2, 2018
This Man Has Been Living on a Cruise Ship for Twenty Years
"I'm the happiest guy in the world." May 4, 2018