Why Kennesaw was Ranked One of the Best Places to Raise a Family

Kennesaw, Georgia

Population: 24,404
Median Income: $70,065
Median Home Value: $166,000
Households with Children: 45%
Student/Teacher Ratio: 16:1

From her family’s quaint 1903 Victorian home, Melissa Hulsey, 39, walks the 2 miles to the employment agency she owns. Husband Jamey, 42, can drive to his job at the local electric company in 10 minutes flat. As for their kids — 6-month-old Adeline, Jack, 7, and Alison, 9 — “there’s always something within easy reach, like sports leagues, outdoor concerts, movie nights, and hayrides,” Melissa says. “You don’t have to make a big production of packing up the car to go everywhere.”

Ordinances in this Civil War-era town require the use of 19th-century brick architecture, including lampposts and benches. Civic pride, superb schools, and a half-dozen universities in nearby Atlanta are a big draw — the population has tripled since 1980. But Kennesaw hasn’t outgrown its sense of community. The Cobb Chamber of Commerce pays for SAT prep courses for hundreds of high school juniors. “Kids have the best chance of getting into the college they want,” says Melissa. “How many places can you say that about?”

Family-friendly perk: Kids and grown-ups can brush up on their history watching combat reenactments at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park