(Editor's note: Updated 2001 article by David Carrier for 2004 Report Card)

2004 Kid Friendly Cities Report Card

The 2004 Kid Friendly Cities Report Card is a national study by Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth) that covers the 100 largest cities in the United States, as determined by the population of the metro area. The Census Bureau defines a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) as a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. (For example, Chicago is part of an MSA that also includes Gary, IN and Kenosha, WI and all of the suburbs around those cities.)

Each city's "kid-friendliness" is graded for the quality of Community Life (including libraries and parks), Economics, Education, Environment, Health, Population Change, and Public Safety. Cities are divided into two categories: 20 Major Cities (defined as the main city in a MSA that contains at least 2.5 million people) and 80 Large Cities (populations from about 191,000 to 1 million, with the average being about 350,000). A little over 28 million people live in the cities in the Large Cities category -- almost the same number that live in the Major Cities.

In addition to Report Card data and statistical analysis, the Kid Friendly Cities website includes articles that provide a broader perspective on urban living and quality of life issues. Also included is a resource list with links to other data sources on child well-being.