To help those who are looking for Catholic communities, Crisis Magazine has compiled a list of 10 of the best cities to raise a Catholic family.
In an era in which America is becoming an increasingly anti-Catholic place to live, Catholics desperately need to be supported by a strong Catholic community in order to live out their faith. For some, the community in which they were born supplies that need. However, for many others there exists a desire to find a community where orthodox Catholicism is supported and lived out. To help those who are looking for such communities, Crisis Magazine has compiled a list of 10 of the best cities to raise a Catholic family (plus an additional unique situation).
A few notes about this list. It is not a scientific study; the cities selected obviously don’t include every city with a strong Catholic community. However, these cities stand out in terms of offering distinct advantages for Catholic families.
Regional factors impact families on a local level, so ultra-liberal states are unlikely to have cities that make the list. You’ll also notice a dearth of large cities (the largest city listed is Kansas City, MO, which is the 37th largest city in America). It’s likely that every large city in America has an active Catholic community in it; however, the significant drawbacks for raising a Catholic family in a large city, such as high cost of living, higher levels of “wokeness,” and higher likelihood of a liberal local government kept those cities off this list.
The Catholic environment in a city is somewhat dependent on the current bishop. A liberal bishop is more likely to make a city more difficult for a faithful Catholic than an orthodox bishop. All of the cities listed below have bishops that at least tolerate orthodox Catholic parishes, schools, and homeschooling groups. For each city listed, the year the current bishop reaches retirement age is listed for some sense of how long that bishop might remain (although a bishop could retire early, be transferred, or die before that date).
Also listed are the number of Sunday traditional Latin Masses (TLMs) celebrated in the city and immediately surrounding area (based on LatinMass.com). Not every Catholic may desire to attend a TLM, but the existence of a TLM usually represents both a bishop sympathetic to orthodoxy and a strong homeschooling community. There may be many reverent and orthodox Novus Ordo parishes available as well, but such a number is difficult to quantify.
In addition, the population and median listing home price is included for each city. Some families prefer a small town feel, while others appreciate the amenities offered by a larger city. And of course, cost of living is a key ingredient to thriving in any city, and the current median home price reflects the largest expense for most families.
Finally, included with each city is a short description of what it’s like to live there by a resident of the city. This will give a hometown flavor to each city beyond what statistics might reflect or outside observers might think.
Cities are listed in alphabetical order.
Ave Maria, Florida
Cincinnati, Ohio
Front Royal, Virginia
Greenville, South Carolina
Kansas City, Missouri
Knoxville, Tennessee
Lincoln, Nebraska
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
South Bend, Indiana
Steubenville, Ohio
Bonus: St. Mary’s Kansas
Random stuff I find interesting and you may not.
