Australian cities ranked among world’s top locations to raise families

Australian capitals have featured prominently in a new international ranking of family-friendly cities, with Brisbane placed first among 50 locations assessed by comparison site Compare the Market.

The index measured cities on factors including access to green space, safety, cost of living, happiness, child vaccination coverage and parental leave entitlements.

Brisbane led the field overall, recording the highest number of parks and playgrounds per capita at 84.89 per 100,000 residents, as well as the second-highest safety score among the cities surveyed. Australian cities collectively were also placed sixth on happiness scores among the countries represented.

Sydney was ranked fifth. The city offered roughly double the number of activities and attractions for children compared with Brisbane, but this was offset by a higher estimated cost of living. Compare the Market calculated the average monthly cost of living for a family of four in Sydney at $6,176.23, compared with $4,827.06 in Brisbane.

Perth and Melbourne also performed strongly, taking sixth and seventh positions respectively. Across the broader index, Australian cities were described as comparatively safe, with strong results on national well-being indicators, childhood vaccination rates and what the report identified as the most generous statutory parental leave provisions of any country included.

Australian capitals were also judged to be more affordable than several other high-scoring family destinations, a factor that contributed to their overall rankings. 

Stephen Zeller (pictured right), general manager of money at Compare the Market, said the choice of home loan remained central to long-term household finances for families settling in these cities. He added that borrowers should assess a broad range of options before committing to a loan structure or lender.

“A mortgage with a smaller interest rate could save you thousands of dollars in interest over the course of your loan,” Zeller said. “It’s a key thing to look for when getting ready to take out a mortgage.

“Other things to look for are account fees, redraw facilities, offset accounts and other features that could save money or give flexibility to borrowers.”

The full list of the world’s 50 best cities to raise a family can be found here.