El Paso, one of the safest cities on our list, is perfect for families seeking a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere.
City: El Paso
State: Texas
Best Cities Overall Rank: 21
About El Paso: The city boasts just about every type of cuisine, but the Mexican American food is unbeatable.
El Paso, one of the safest cities on our list, is perfect for families seeking a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere. The Plaza Theatre, one of the city’s most well known landmarks, is perfect for a family trip to a musical. Those who work in schools, government offices, health care, or retail are in luck: some of the largest employers in the city look for workers in these areas
County: El Paso
Population: 613,190
Official website for city visitors’ bureau/city: Visitor’s bureau website
Newspaper with the largest circulation: El Paso Times
El Paso blogs:
El Paso‘s Facebook page: Follow El Paso on Facebook
Education rank: 57
High School graduation rate 2008: 72.29%
Blue Ribbon Schools, 2003-2009: 2
Blue Ribbon Schools per 100,000 people: 0.33
NEAYC-accredited preschools: 27
NAEYC schools per 100,000 people: 4.4
NAEP State proficiency reading, grade 8: 260
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 14.1
Total Expenditures Per Student: $9,063
Health rank: 86
Quality children’s hospitals: 2
Hospitals per 100,000 people: 0.33
Quality Pediatricians: 0
Quality Pediatricians per 100,000: 0
Average number of Unhealthy Air Quality days between 2006-2008, by county: 3.33
Safety rank: 3
Violent Crimes, 2008: 2825
Violent Crime Rate per 100,000: 460.71
Sex Offenders: 234
Sex Offenders per 100,000: 38.16
Economy rank: 40
Travel time to work, 2006-2008, in minutes: 21.6
Percent of labor force unemployed, January 2010: 9.94
Best Performing Cities Job Index: 487.99
Median Home List Price: $150,000
Recreation Rank: 85
Parkland acreage, 2008 (includes pools and playgrounds): 2,665
Parkland per 100,000: 434.61