These Are The 10 Top Suburbs to Raise a Family in Metro Detroit

Looking for the best suburb to raise a family in Metro Detroit?

According to Niche, a leading website for town, school and college rankings, the answer is yes! In its recently released 2024 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family list, Niche highlights the top spots for families based on key factors like school quality, crime rates, housing affordability, and access to essential services such as childcare, libraries, and grocery stores.

Niche’s methodology considers a range of data points, ensuring that each suburb is evaluated for its appeal to families. “A high ranking indicates that a suburb attracts young families with good schools and a safe community,” Niche explains, according to their full methodology.

This article was updated on Oct. 1, 2024, by Metro Parent’s Audience Development Manager, Katina Beniaris. Her work included adding the 2024 Niche rankings for the “Best Places to Raise a Family in Oakland County.” Questions? Please reach out to katina@metroparent.com.

Best Metro Detroit Suburbs to Raise a Family

1. Beverly Hills

• Average home value: $459,500
• County: Oakland
• Population: 10,550

This town is ideal for families who are looking for a slightly-rural feel but don’t want to leave the metro area. Plus, Beverly Hills Village Park has all the fun a family could ask for: a sledding hill, disc golf course, fire pits, nature trails, a playground and even an outdoor ping pong table! 

2. Huntington Woods

• Average home value: $386,100 
• County: Oakland
• Population: 6,365

Looking for that quaint small town feel without moving too far from the liveliness of the city? Huntington Woods is less than a 30 minute drive from the city and is home to the Detroit Zoo, plenty of parks and highly-rated public schools. 

3. Northville

• Average home value: $431,500
• County: Wayne
• Population: 6,088

The town of Northville is a small, but dense, suburb with an historic, charming downtown and strips of shops and restaurants. With beautiful old homes and calm water views, Northville is a picture-perfect place to raise a family.

4. Birmingham

• Average home value: $679,700
• County: Oakland
• Population: 21,738

Located along the Woodward Corridor, the northern suburb of Birmingham falls at #5 on the list. With plenty of parks and trails, many Birmingham residents are active people who enjoy being out and about. The schools are top-rated schools and there is some remarkable architecture around town. 

5. Northville Township

• Average home value: $490,800
• County: Wayne
• Population: 31,461

A move to Northville Township may be in your future if you’re looking to transition to true suburban living. The first Wayne County suburb to make the list, Northville Township is less than 30 miles from Detroit with all the amenities you want out of the ‘burbs: large park systems and shopping smalls loaded with gyms, shops and restaurants. When asked to describe their town, two-thirds of residents used the word “friendly.” 

Looking for more areas to move in Chicagoland? Check out these stories:

• Best Places to Raise a Family in Oakland County
• Best Places to Raise a Family in Macomb County
• Best Places to Raise a Family in Wayne County

6. Novi

• Average home value: $380,200
• County: Oakland
• Population: 65,870

Novi is located on picturesque Walled Lake. Families enjoy excellent public schools, housing, outdoor activities and jobs.

7. Troy

• Average home value: $375,600
• County: Oakland
• Population: 87,170

Troy is the largest suburb on this list thus far. The three top phrases that residents use to describe their home are “friendly, quiet and family-oriented.” With young professionals and residents with moderate political views, Troy is a diverse place to raise a family. 

8. Bloomfield Charter Township

• Average home value: $542,400
• County: Oakland
• Population: 44,016

This town has continued to rise on the list of best Detroit suburbs for the past few years. With plenty of restaurants, shops, parks and coffee shops, what more could you ask for? Oh wait, we forgot schools! The schools in Bloomfield Charter Township are top-notch, with many of its schools receiving A+ ratings. 

9. Rochester

• Average home value: $447,800
• County: Oakland
• Population: 12,978

Rochester’s picturesque surroundings offer families excellent access to parks and schools. Kids, and parents, too, have many options for healthy activities

10. Franklin

• Average home value: $710,700
• County: Oakland
• Population: 2,653

The small suburb of Franklin has a charming rural feel, but the homes are anything but small. Known for its sweeping, estate-style houses, Franklin offers plenty of room for your growing family to spread out and plant roots.

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