Suwanee, Ga., was ranked the third best city to raise your
kids, according to a list compiled by Kiplinger. They first considered
metropolitan areas that had high household incomes, low crime rates and high
percentages of families with children younger than 18. The top 10 metro areas
were then broken down to focus on specific cities with promising educational
factors (such as the quality of local school districts, libraries and spending
per student), as well as fun factors like public parks and playgrounds.
Suwanee, with a population of 15,355 and an average
family income of $104,813, is known for its highly-regarded schools and low crime
rate. GreatSchools.org, an education non-profit site, has rated every school in
the district a 9 or 10 out of a possible 10, with metro-area spending per
student at $6,008. This northern Georgia suburb has many benefits for kids,
including four public playgrounds, Lake Lanier, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and
of course PlayTown, a massive public park with a fountain called Big Splash.
With so many benefits, it’s no wonder 40.3 percent of the families who live
there have children.
If you’re in the area this summer, make sure you don’t
miss the 2012 Suwanee SculpTour, which the city boasts is bigger and heavier
than ever. The 15 public art pieces, created by 11 artists representing Georgia
and five other states, can be seen in and around the town center until March
2013. Residents and visitors alike may vote for their favorite piece to be
considered for purchase at the end of the exhibit as part of Suwanee's
permanent public art collection.
Jacqueline Frasca just received her B.A. in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College and works as an editorial intern at New South Publishing in Atlanta, Ga.
