A company called SmartAsset out of New York has just proclaimed Sioux Falls, South Dakota as the second best place in the U.S. for children.

This is the second consecutive year South Dakota's largest city has received such an honor. We trail only Cedar Rapid, Iowa as the best place for children to live.

What makes Sioux Falls so great according to the SmartAsset study? We have the highest percentage of students with proficiency in math and language arts, citing Department of Education data from 2013-2014.

If you believe the folks at SmartAsset, it sounds like the entire upper midwest area is a great place to raise a kid.

According to their 2016 study, Lincoln, Nebraska, Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa, respectively all trail Sioux Falls as top spots in the country for kids.

SmartAsset compiled their findings by looking at data on children’s health, education and quality of life in every U.S. metro area with a population greater than 200,000 people.

If you want to ensure your child grows up smart, safe, and happy, stay out of Florida.

Of the 10 worst places to raise a child, seven of them are located in the state of Florida according to the study. As a matter of fact, for two years in a row now, SmartAsset has designated the city of Ocala, Florida as the worst place in the nation when it comes to raising a child.

Source: SmartAsset

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