The best places in Australia to raise a family have been ranked, and 50 per cent are right here in Sydney

When I first visited Sydney, aged four, I was blown away by the playgrounds. If you asked four-year-old me, there’s nowhere in the world that does playgrounds better. But Sydney has a lot more to offer the younger generation than slides and swings. The Harbour City is home to gorgeous family-friendly beaches, pubs and restaurants that cater specifically for families and world-class swimming pools designed to help teach our younger generation how to swim. And, according to a new study, 50 per cent of the best places in the country to raise a family are right here in Sydney.

A recent study by health insurance company iSelect analysed government data to find the best areas in Australia to start a family, comparing five key factors: child development, childcare availability and cost, local healthcare performance and birth rates. According to the study, five out of the ten best places to raise a family are right here in Sydney.

The semi-rural suburb of Dural-Wisemans Ferry in Sydney’s north west ranked second nationally, offering plenty of childcare spots (1.74 per child), strong healthcare and a high fertility rate, scoring a total index score of 93.42 out of 100.

The Inner West suburb of Leichhardt – best known for its excellent array of Italian eateries – ranked as the third best place to raise a family in the whole country. The friendly, buzzy suburb stands out for its early childhood development offerings, with nearly 88 per cent of children on track in terms of cognitive, language and socio-emotional development. Despite higher childcare costs than other places around the country, strong healthcare and fertility rates make Leichhardt a great all-rounder suburb for families.

The next Sydney suburb to crack the top ten was Ku-ring-gai, which ranked fifth with a total index score of 91.22. The Chatswood-Lane Cove area in Sydney’s north ranked as the seventh best place in the country to raise a family, with a total index score of 88.17. Finally, the beachy burb of Manly ranked as the tenth-best neighbourhood in Australia to raise a family, standing out for its comparatively affordable childcare, with costs making up just 22.4 per cent of income.

These are the best places to raise a family in Australia

1. South Canberra, ACT
2. Dural-Wisemans Ferry, NSW
3. Leichhardt, NSW
4. Bayside, VIC
5. Ku-ring-gai, NSW
6. Kenmore - Brookfield - Moggill, QLD
7. Chatswood-Lane Cove, NSW
8. Cottesloe-Claremont, WA
9. Stonnington-East, VIC
10. Manly, NSW

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