8
Minneapolis, Minn.
Minneapolis hits it out of the ballpark in a number of categories. It's one of the safest cities in the United States and also one of the cheapest to live in. If you're just starting a family and money is tight, it offers a lot for your dollar. In 2009, Minneapolis schools spent more than the national average per public school student, and with only a 16 to one student teacher ratio, that isn't bad at all [source: Greenburg].