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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Area cities make list of best towns to raise a family in Tennessee

People gather at the Tennessee Strawberry Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Dayton, Tenn. The annual festival, held in historic downtown Dayton around the Rhea County Courthouse, brought crowds to browse the wares of craft vendors and food trucks.
People gather at the Tennessee Strawberry Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Dayton, Tenn. The annual festival, held in historic downtown Dayton around the Rhea County Courthouse, brought crowds to browse the wares of craft vendors and food trucks. People gather at the Tennessee Strawberry Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Dayton, Tenn. The annual festival, held in historic downtown Dayton around the Rhea County Courthouse, brought crowds to browse the wares of craft vendors and food trucks.

One of the largest content start-ups in the country, Niche, has named several local towns to its list of best towns to raise a family in Tennessee.

The website is geared toward helping people to know what areas are attracting young families and offer good schools and safe communities. It ranked towns of less than 100,000 residents based on age demographics, school ratings, crime rates and access to affordable housing, child care, libraries and grocery stores.

photo Cleveland with such events as its Apple Festival, pictured here, was on the list of “Best Towns to Raise a Family in Tennessee.”

Cleveland was ranked No. 34 out of 53 on the list.

Bradley County Commissioner Milan Blake said he is not surprised by Cleveland’s ranking, as he and his family have enjoyed raising children in the city.

“I think Cleveland is a great place because it offers the small-town feel — and all the good things there — and we are also close enough to the big cities,” he said.