Does this city exist in the US? (apartment, townhomes)

[KT13]

I am looking for a US city (a large city preferably) that would be a good place to raise children in the urban environment. This city has to have following characteristics:

1. Be safe for children to go outside by themselves. A city where kids can take themselves to school, various activities, movies, libraries, museums, shopping etc using their two feet and public transport instead of having to be driven by parents everywhere. I haven't really seen kids walking around on the streets in US cities as much as some places in Asia, Western or Eastern Europe.

2. Have good schools (I know this is not possible from what I've read and heard), but what about private schools? How long is the waiting list? What are the fees? What about hiring a private tutor or homeschooling? Is this allowed in all areas?

3. Have a great public transportation overall and walkable dense areas where all things could be nearby eliminating a need for a car for those working in the city or from home. Basically, a place where you mainly would use a car for recreational needs other than out of necessity. I am not against cars and would prefer a place with a garage, but I would hate to have to rely on it for everything.

4. Have a climate that's not too severe: 6 months freezing winters or 6 months of scorching summers with over 100 degree temperatures. Seasons and rain are ok. I would avoid climates where you simply cannot make yourselves comfortable outdoors with clothing/umbrellas (extreme cold or heat).

5. Have diversity, ethnic restaurants, different cultures a good mix of people living in the city, a good number of families living in the city so that kids don't feel isolated. Have some healthy presence of urban parents where you won't feel like you are the only family living in the city.

So far from what I know NYC Manhattan is one of the places that comes to mind, is this true or a myth? Are there any other cities that are a little bit more affordable? I've lived in SF, DC, Seattle, my 3 favorite cities when I was single, I would love to move into any of these places, but don't know about the experiences of those raising a family there, all of my friends who have kids moved to the suburbs or residential areas of the cities that are very much like suburbs. I don't know anyone actually raising a kid in the city proper. Any other cities I may be overlooking? Or does this city even exist?

[northbound74]

I can't think of such a place, not in the U.S. anyway. If you find it, please let me know.

[Beetlez]

Well, the majority of the areas in New York City outside of Manhattan are not suburban, and they're quite a bit more affordable. As far as the weather, of the cities you've listed, it's most like DC, with fairly colder winters and slightly cooler summers.

[Tiger Beer]

I lived in Manhattan for 2 1/2 years. I was single. I almost never saw kids or familys. I think it would be a nightmare to raise a family there, mostly because of prices. In addition, most people are very ambitious and career-minded. You might feel funny touting around kids on the subway among monsterous crowds of people on their way to work.

The hardest part of me was living in Manhattan and loving it, but realizing that if I were to be married or start a family, it meant moving way off to some NYC outskirts of an area to do it.

[bigdave01]

Maybe Portland, Oregon. It is not extremely dense, but it has a lot of quaint walkable neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, not many cities in the US are like this.

[pwright1]

I do know many parents who have children in Seattle. They go to public schools, ride the metro bus to downtown Seattle for shopping, movies etc. In Seattle living in an urban environment doesn't mean living in a cramped apartment surrounded by concrete. There are tons of neighborhoods with single family homes or townhomes just minutes from downtown. I always concentrate on the central Seattle neighborhoods because of the diversity. Leschi, Madrona, Central District, Mount Baker and Madison Valley. Each are close to buslines, neighborhood libraries, parks, the lake, outdoor neighborhood markets, ethnic restaurants and more. I ride the metro bus all over Seattle and see kids riding the bus all the time. Sometimes I catch the 48 to work at 7:00am and its packed to the gills with school children.

[radraja]

Portland or Seattle could work, but you'd have to like clouds.

[jjbradleynyc]

New York City, by far. Try Brooklyn's Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, or Greenpoint neighborhoods. In Queens, try Forest Hills, Astoria, Jackson Heights. In Manhattan, the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Tribeca, West Village, East Village, and more and more downtown is becoming very family friendly.
The biggest negative about NYC is the cost. In Manhattan, a family of four would have to make at least $200k per year to even live somewhat comfortably. And the $200k would not go that far. I'd say $300-$400k annually allows a family of 4 to live in Manhattan pretty decently.
For Brooklyn, the annual salary requirement drops some, with $150k being the most likely "bottom number."
San Francisco, Seattle, small parts of DC and Chicago also may fit the bill--although Chicago's winters are BRUTAL.

[Katarina Witt]

Denver would meet most of your criteria. But seriously, what age are you planning on letting your kids go places alone? They still have to be at least 10 or so, and no, it's not because I'm afraid of sexual predators or drive-by shootings or whatever (though that stuff is everywhere). It's just because kids don't have good judgement in difficult situations. Colorado has no minimum age to leave kids alone, but most judges use 10 as a guideline (in child neglect cases).

Denver's climate isn't as extreme as everyone thinks; the snow is usually gone a few days after a snowfall, and there are weeks of dry, sunny weather in the winter.

I think most kids in DPS ride buses, at least I see a lot of buses around the schools. By middle school, my daughter was taking public transportation to her suburban school. Each state has its own homeschooling laws, but that would negate the point of independence, IMO.

BTW, I saw very few kids, period, when I was in Europe, except in Germany.

[gimme it]

NYC is a wonderful place to raise a child as long as you are zoned for a great public school or can afford private school. It is also wonderful if you can afford a good-sized apartment. Some of us lucked out by getting our apts. before the market rose. Despite what someone above said, there are a zillion children here, there are amazing things for them to do, and there are many beautiful parks and recreational opportunities. Whatever you might want, you can find here. The choices are endless for everything. That being said, do not move here unless you have big bucks. As for private schools, most are approaching $30,000 per year.