Scottsdale is #1 - Best City for Babies

According to Parent Magazine - The 10 Best Cities for Babies...Scottsdale Arizona is ranked #1 1. Scottsdale, Arizona Population 238,715 Child Care B+ Family Safety A+ Fun for You and Baby A- Infant Health B Money Matters B This western town is far from wild. Scottsdale's stellar safety record helped earn it the #1 spot on our list. "It's common to see moms pushing strollers around the neighborhoods, even at night," says police chief Alan Rodbell. "Our crime rate is the lowest it's ever been -- which is well below the national average -- so families can enjoy the outdoors." Scottsdale has plenty of recreation space too, with 67 miles of paved trails and 105 miles of bike lanes. There are 22 playgrounds with baby swings, and because of the warm-year-round climate, many also include pop-up fountains. "Outsiders think of Scottsdale as a retirement community, but there are a good number of active, health-conscious families here," says Joy Cherrick, founder of the Scottsdale Moms Blog, whose daughter, Reagan, is 14 months. "A lot of moms make their own baby food and buy locally, whether it's produce from the farmers' market or baby toys from one of the many downtown shops." Plenty of child-care centers and pediatricians, as well as a fairly low unemployment rate (6.4 percent at press time) also make for easy living with a baby. Photo by Alexandra Grablewski Our Grading Key: A-- Awesome B--Very Good C--Not Bad D--Below Average F--Terrible Courtesy of Parents Magazine