You can ‘wander Indiana’ or you can just take a look below at HomeSnacks’ list of best places for families for 2026.
We suggest you do the latter because there are some dangerous places at The Crossroads of America that you should definitely avoid; and two HomeSnacks has taken the guessing out of that search and consulted the latest US Census on places in this Midwest state with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors including crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 66 family friendly Indiana places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Now, it’s not lost on us that some of Indiana’s safest places and wealthiest places are also Indiana’s most family friendly. There should be no limits one should go to to protect their family and Indiana’s most family friendly cities have those limits in place; and sometimes, that comes at a cost.
All seriousness aside, our research discovered that Indiana is a pretty cool state with some pretty cool family friendly activities. You can have your family at the zoo in Indianapolis and at a Lake Michigan beach in Portage all in the same weekend. We call that an Indiana win!
Want to know where else your family will always win in Indiana? Take a look below at Indiana’s best of the best places for families to live.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Indiana For 2026
When you choose to live in one of Indiana’s’ best places for families, you are choosing to live where you can keep your family safe, happy, and healthy. You are choosing to live where your Indiana salary will go the furthest for your family. And that, Hoosiers, makes perfect sense.
So, what’s the best place for families to live in Indiana for 2026? Drum roll… the number one best place for families in The Hoosier State is Zionsville based on the most recent Census data.
To see how your favorite place in Indiana compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Indiana and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Indiana
- Cheapest Places To Live In Indiana
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Indiana For 2026
/10
Population: 32,095
Median Income: $172,024
Average Home Price: $680,117
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 39
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 38.1%
More on Zionsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 13,565
Median Income: $68,750
Average Home Price: $275,151
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 71
Closest Major City: Fort Wayne
Households with kids: 34.1%
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 26,168
Median Income: $82,380
Average Home Price: $279,167
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 48
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 35.5%
More on Franklin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,714
Median Income: $97,083
Average Home Price: $337,029
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 33.7%
More on Danville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 17,030
Median Income: $56,520
Average Home Price: $192,024
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 44
Closest Major City: Fort Wayne
Households with kids: 32.0%
More on Huntington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 101,651
Median Income: $141,505
Average Home Price: $563,457
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 43
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 35.7%
More on Carmel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 54,677
Median Income: $122,789
Average Home Price: $468,588
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 39
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 36.3%
More on Westfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 31,215
Median Income: $102,235
Average Home Price: $356,184
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 32
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 38.6%
More on Brownsburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 73,362
Median Income: $104,047
Average Home Price: $389,215
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 42
Closest Major City: Indianapolis
Households with kids: 40.0%
More on Noblesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 34,393
Median Income: $101,686
Average Home Price: $354,995
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 64
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 35.4%
More on Crown Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Indiana anyways?
To give you the places in Indiana that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Indiana, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Indiana, that meant a total of 66 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Indiana.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Indiana
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Indiana ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Indiana are Zionsville, Auburn, Franklin, Danville, Huntington, Carmel, Westfield, Brownsburg, Noblesville, and Crown Point.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Indiana according to the data:
- Clarksville
- Evansville
- Hobart
For more Indiana reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Indiana
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zionsville, IN | 32,095 | $172,024 | $680,117 | 39 |
| 2 | Auburn, IN | 13,565 | $68,750 | $275,151 | 57 |
| 3 | Franklin, IN | 26,168 | $82,380 | $279,167 | 40 |
| 4 | Danville, IN | 11,714 | $97,083 | $337,029 | 63 |
| 5 | Huntington, IN | 17,030 | $56,520 | $192,024 | 67 |
| 6 | Carmel, IN | 101,651 | $141,505 | $563,457 | 51 |
| 7 | Westfield, IN | 54,677 | $122,789 | $468,588 | 63 |
| 8 | Brownsburg, IN | 31,215 | $102,235 | $356,184 | 42 |
| 9 | Noblesville, IN | 73,362 | $104,047 | $389,215 | 39 |
| 10 | Crown Point, IN | 34,393 | $101,686 | $354,995 | 62 |