Naperville topped Niche’s 2018 list of Best Cities to Raise a Family in America, recognized especially for its great public schools and variety of outdoor activities as an ideal place for parents to raise children.

Niche, a ranking and review website, generates several annual lists, including Best Cities to Live in America and Cities with the Best Public Schools in America. Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For its list of Best Cities to Raise a Family in America, Niche analyzed 228 cities and more than 15,000 towns, assessing factors that are most significant to families: quality of local schools, safety, affordability and access to family amenities. Reviews by residents were also taken into consideration.

Naperville’s overall grade was an A+, with individual grades for the following categories:

• Public schools: A+
• Health and fitness: A+
• Outdoor activities: A
• Diversity: A
• Housing: A-
• Jobs: A-
• Commute: B+
• Nightlife: B+
• Crime and safety: B+
• Weather: C+
• Cost of living: C+

Other Illinois cities that made the Best Cities to Raise a Family list include Elgin at No. 72 and Chicago at No. 115.