City Times Staff

The Village of Plover is ranked the 18th best place to raise a family in the state, according to the personal finance website Wallethub.

The study came after Wallethub ranked Wisconsin as the 11th best state in the nation to raise a family. It analyzed the 85 largest communities in Wisconsin, using data from 21 metrics across four main categories, including family life and fun, education, health and safety, affordability and socioeconomics.

The quality of education, housing affordability, crime statistics, divorce rates and family attractions were some of the metrics used to determine the rankings.

Stevens Point ranked just under Neenah and ahead of Germantown. Stevens Point is ranked the 29th, while Wisconsin Rapids took 63rd. Verona took the top spot according to the study. Milwaukee came in last place of the 85 studied cities.

Stevens Point Individual Rankings (1=Best; 43=Average)

• 36^th – % of Families with Children Aged 0 to 17
• 57^th – Median Annual Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 46^th – Quality of School System
• 20^th – High School Graduation Rate
• 39^th – Violent-Crime Rate
• 12^th – Housing Affordability
• 65^th – % of Families Living Below Poverty Level
• 16^th – Unemployment Rate
• 53^rd – Divorce Rate

For Wallethub’s full results, visit wallethub.com/edu/best-places-to-raise-a-family-in-wisconsin/39201/.

Plover was also recently named one of the safest cities in the state, according to the National Council for Home Safety and Security.