The best cities for families share certain traits: Good schools, safe neighborhoods, affordable living costs and plenty of jobs. We weighed all of these factors and more to come up with a list of our favorite family-friendly places to live. Here are the top 3 picks:
 
In third place is the Trenton-Ewing-Princeton area of New Jersey. Princeton attracts families thanks to its top-notch public school system. Manhattan and its high-paying jobs are about an hour’s drive away. So, for parents who work in the city but don’t want to raise their kids there, this is a prime location.
 
Second is Manchester, New Hampshire. This town combines affordability and livability; two vital components for families in search of a place to call home. Housing prices are above the national median of $174,000, but New Hampshire residents don’t pay state income or sales taxes.
 
Number one is Des Moines, Iowa. Several large financial companies including Wells Fargo have big operations in the area, which makes the job market attractive. The combination of good paychecks and low everyday expenses allows families to enjoy a standard of living that’s hard to equal elsewhere in the U.S.
 
To see a complete list of our 2012 Best Cities rankings, visit Kiplinger.com and search keyword BEST CITIES.