West Hartford Named One of Family Circle's '10 Best Towns for Families'

Each year Family Circle magazine releases a list of towns, with populations between 10,000 and 150,000, which they determine to be the most "family friendly." This year, West Hartford has earned the sixth spot on the coveted "10 Best" list, the only town in the Northeast to be recognized.

This year's rating started with 3,335 towns that met the population criteria, and according to Family Circle was then narrowed down to approximately 1,000 that have a median income between $55,000 and $100,000.

An extensive review followed, with each town being considered according to the following criteria: "affordable homes, quality schools, access to health care, green space, low crime rate and financial stability."

After a series of interviews with members of the community, West Hartford was chosen. The town's tagline is "Where City Style Meets Village Charm," and Family Circle seemed to agree, noting that West Hartford's location near the state capitol and "plucky can-do spirit" as well access to concerts, art shows, and plays, nearby universities, recreation opportunities, and top-rated high schools.

"West Harford has been honored many times over the past few years. It's wonderful having Family Circle, a national publication, recognize this community when there are approximately 15,000 other towns in the country. We know West Hartford is great, but it's nice to have others recognize it," said Town Manager Ron Van Winkle who had spoken with Family Circle multiple times during the selection process.

West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka said he is also very proud to see West Hartford recognized as one of the best towns for families. "It's nice to have somebody unbiased come in from the outside and validate what we feel about the community," he said.

Slifka said that receiving the rating from Family Circle, as well as other honors the town has received over the past few years, can also bring benefits when attracting investment to West Hartford. "It's a crowded field, with a limited pool of resources. This helps us stick out from the crowd," he said.

Residents Earl and Tammy Exum, who were among the residents interviewed for the survey, said in the article, "It's an engaged community. If people see a need, they fill it." The Exums, who have three children (Evan, 16; Kyle, 14; and Jonathan, 7) told Family Circle that West Hartford "is the perfect mix of big-city amenities and small-town serenity." 

All of the "10 Best" towns are noted for their "Good Deeds," and Family Circle mentioned the approximately $250,000 "in cash, food, and supplies" that West Hartford residents donate annually to support The Town That Cares Fund to support its needy families.

West Hartford consistently receives accolades for its schools, and in recent years has also been recognized by other national publications, including Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (Top 10 Best Cities in the Nation for the Next Decade and Top 10 Great Cities for Raising Families), Travel and Leisure (One of the Coolest Suburbs Worth a Visit), and CNN Money (Top Best Places to Live in the Nation).

The Family Circle survey results will be published in the magazine's August issue. The other municipalities on the Family Circle "10 Best Towns for Families" (in order of ranking) are Troy, MI; Boulder City, NV; Upper Arlington, OH; Allen, TX; Marion, IA; Madison, AL; Rio Rancho, NM; Suwanee, GA; and Morton, IL.