Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – A town in Fairfax County and one north of Baltimore have been named the best places to raise kids in the D.C. area.
Bloomberg Businessweek has picked out one community in each state for that designation. Herndon, which branded itself the “next generation small town” back in September, gets the nod for Virginia.
The town of about 23,000 in the midst of the Dulles Technology Corridor boasts low unemployment, good schools and kid-friendly performances on the Town Green, according to its Businessweek listing.
The designation comes as no surprise to Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel.
“My children are growing up thinking it’s normal that a homecoming parade comes down their street, and we can see fireworks from our yard,” Merkel says.
Merkel also notes Herndon’s benefits include a historic downtown and a location close to Dulles International Airport. The town additionally sits halfway between D.C. and the wine country of the Shenandoah Valley.
The magazine lists Hampstead, in Carroll County, as the best place to raise kids in Maryland. It cites the area’s new high school, a new bypass to help create a walkable downtown and a section of roadway mowed by goats.
For the full listings from Bloomberg Businessweek, click here.
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