CRESTVIEW — The Hub City is the second-“Best Town to Raise a Family in Florida," according to Niche.com.
Crestview was surpassed by High Springs in Alachua County. The next-closest community to make the list was DeFuniak Springs, No. 17. Pensacola ranked 27th. No other neighboring communities made the list, and no Florida towns made the national top 100.
See Niche's full report here>>
Niche.com — which analyzed communities with populations under 100,000 people — assigned rankings “based on school ratings, crime rates, age demographics, and access to affordable housing and childcare," the website states. "A high ranking indicates that a town attracts young families with good schools and a safe community."
Crime-and-safety and education each contributed 20 percent toward a community’s overall ranking. Access to libraries, involvement and investment in the community, home affordability, population between ages 35 and 44, and population ages 9 and younger each contributed 10 percent. Affordable day care and access to grocery stores each contributed 5 percent toward a town’s overall score.
Crestview’s high ranking doesn’t surprise Richard and Maria Masters, who moved here with their four children from California in January 2009.
“I think the biggest thing I like about Crestview is the welcoming we got from people who didn’t know who we were,” Richard Masters, a Navy veteran, said. “People opened up and took us in like family. Our kids have so many ‘moms and dads’ in Crestview, it’s unreal, and I am ‘Papa’ to tons of kids.”
The Masterses rapidly assimilated into their new hometown, became active in Girl and Boy Scouts, and joined a church. “I love our church, Our Lady of Victory,” Masters said. “The parishioners here are really, really great.”
If he had one complaint, Masters said it’s a limited choice of restaurants. “You just can’t go anywhere nice to eat in Crestview,” he said. “You have to leave town to eat.”
That perception is one of several concerns expressed by the study's critics on the News Bulletin's Facebook page. Most commenters questioned the ranking.
"Not a place for family at all!" J Denise Ford said. "No decent places to eat. No decent parks. Nothing to do for miles away. Traffic is horrendous!"
"There are no amenities…unless you count Walmart and Lowe's," Anita Harness said.
Niche also ranked Crestview first in “Best Towns to Buy a House in Florida” and 91st in “Best Towns to Buy a House in America.”
Additionally, the site ranked Crestview 15th in “Safest Towns in Florida,” sixth in “Towns with the Best Public Schools in Florida,” and seventh in “Towns with the Best Community in Florida.”
Niche compiles its information from publically available sources including school and government databases.
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MAKING THE GRADE
Niche.com issued these grades for Crestview:
Crime and safety: C
Education: A-
Library access: C-
Community: B
Housing: A-
Day care access: B
Grocery store access: C+
Residents 35-44: 10.2 percent
Residents under 9: 17.7 percent
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Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview ranked No. 2 best town to raise a family