When we think about where to raise our children, a lot of factors usually come into play.
Now one financial news website has released its rankings of the worst cities in which to raise children — and one Michigan community is near the top of that list.
According to 24/7 Wall Street, Battle Creek is the second-worst city in America to raise children. The study considered several measures, including education, health, and violent crime rates. The only city that ranked lower was Farmington, New Mexico.
Here's how Battle Creek ranked by individual measures:
Education
In Battle Creek, preschool enrollment is ranked at 16.3 percent, among the lowest 10 percent in the nation. 24/7 Wall Street reports preschool attendance has been shown to improve academic preparedness in children and help cognitive development.
The high school graduation rate in Battle Creek is 74.9 percent. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, high school graduation rates in the U.S. are at an all-time high of 84 percent.
Health
In Battle Creek, it also may be more difficult for children in the area to find a place to get physical activity. Just 77.5 percent of the area population reported having access to a place for exercise. The national share is 83 percent.
Crime and safety
Violent crime in Battle Creek was also a big mark against the community. At 746.7 incidents per 100,000, violent crime was among the top 10 percent of the major metro areas considered.
Ron Haskins, co-director of the Center on Children and Families within The Brookings Institution, said there is a “constellation of factors” that can make a neighborhood an undesirable place to raise children — including a high prevalence of poverty and crime and a lack of childcare.
Other factors
While income measures were not part of the study, many of the worst cities to raise children, according to 24/7 Wall Street, have low incomes, a factor which often corresponds with the factors that were considered, such as violent crime and poor education rates.
Some 26.8 percent of Battle Creek children live in poverty, compared to 19.5 percent of children nationwide. Children who are raised in poverty tend to have lower educational attainment rates and less economic mobility.
The Battle Creek area's median family income is $60,365, falling more than $10,000 short of the national median.
For a complete breakdown and explanation of 24/7 Wall Street's methodology, follow this link.
The full list of 25 worst cities to raise children:
25. Albany, Oregon
24. Sebring, Florida
23. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and North Carolina
22. Stockton-Lodi, California
21. Pine Bluff, Arkansas
20. Columbia, South Carolina
19. Danville, Illinois
18. Albany, Georgia
17. Yuba City, California
16. Hanford-Corcoran, California
15. Florence, South Carolina
14. Madera, California
13. Memphis, Tennessee
12. Alexandria, Louisiana
11. Odessa, Texas
10. Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, Alabama
9. Albuquerque, New Mexico
8. Monroe, Louisiana
7. Gadsden, Alabama
6. Anchorage, Alaska
5. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
4. Lawton, Oklahoma
3. Medford, Oregon
2. Battle Creek, Michigan
1. Farmington, New Mexico
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.