Yakima Listed One of the Worst Places to Raise a Family in Washington

Out of 111 Washington cities listed, Yakima was listed as one of the worst places to raise a family. Are you surprised?

This is according to WalletHub who did some research about Washington state. Here's where Yakima falls in statewide percentages.

Raising a Family in Yakima (1=Best; 56=Avg.)
57th – % of Families with Children Aged 0 to 17
98th – Median Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
70th – Quality of School System
106th – High School Graduation Rate
71st – Violent-Crime Rate
55th – Housing Affordability
105th – % of Families Living Below Poverty Level
38th – Unemployment Rate
83rd – Divorce Rate
50th – Playgrounds per Capita

The best place to raise a child, according to this list is West Richland. I used to live in Tri-Cities with my kids and it wasn't bad but there are a few things that Yakima has over many parts of Washington state and that's its diversity. I loved attending our local schools with other students had different cultures and different stories. My kids love it, too, as they don't have a racist bone in their body. I wouldn't trade that for anything on that list.

I understand the graduation rate, housing affordability and more, but, c'mon, Yakima's not a bad place at all. I'm glad I live here. Interesting to see where other cities rank on the list, but I'm A-OK being right here in Yakima.