Hoover ranked best place to raise a family in Alabama

Hoover ranked first in Niche.com’s annual “Best Town to Raise a Family in Alabama” ranking. Niche.com compiles data, such as public education, safety and community involvement, from 4,280 towns across the country to determine the best place to raise a family in the nation. Hoover was also ranked the 24th nationally.

Hoover was the only town in the Birmingham area to make the list. The second and third best towns to raise a family in Alabama were given to Oneonta and Auburn, respectively.

Niche.com defines a town as, "a place located within a Census-defined urbanized cluster or a principal city for an urbanized area with a population greater than or equal to 5,000 and less than 100,000." The site uses the U.S. Census Bureau's data and definitions while creating its lists and rankings.

Niche.com uses a grading system when considering factors for the best towns for families. Those factors include: crime and safety, 20 percent; education, 20 percent; access to libraries, 10 percent; community, 10 percent; housing, 10 percent; residents 35-44 years old, 10 percent; residents under 9 years old, 10 percent; access to day cares, 5 percent; and access to grocery stores, 5 percent.

Hoover received an A+ overall grade. See the entire list on Niche’s website.