Family Circle Magazine
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10 Best Towns for Families: 2010
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Courtesy of City of La Verne
La Verne, California
almondmom says:
Population: 32,163
Median Income: $76,569
Median Home Price: $387,000
Households with Children: 36%
Student/Teacher Ratio: 26:1
Great Schools Rating: 9
Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains 30 miles east of Los Angeles, La Verne has abundant hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. At Heritage Park, residents not only enjoy summer concerts but can also pick oranges in historic citrus groves. "You're with family and friends, out in the sun and having fun—what's not to like?" says Lynn Del Toro, 54.
Husband George, 55, who manages a local water municipality, thinks of La Verne as a cozy little village. "The best thing about living here is the friendships we've built," he says. The couple, along with son Lucas, 15, and daughter Noel, 11, go on vacation with neighbors and spend holidays with families from the kids' schools. La Verne's teachers go all out for their students. Lucas' high school freshman class, for example, didn't just read Homer's Odyssey. "They acted out scenes in our city pool on a floating stage made of recyclable 2-liter soda bottles and set the whole thing to 1980s music as part of a cross-curriculum English, science, and social studies project," says George. "That's a production no one will forget!"
Good Deeds: Kids of all ages put in hundreds of hours every year doing fundraising and volunteer activities. At Oak Mesa Elementary School, students made 100 blankets for two area hospitals, while students at Bonita High raised $3,000 for Haiti relief by collecting donations on campus and at basketball games.
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I love the city of La Verne!! It is a great city for families. There are many activities and sports for kids. You always run into someone you know. I have made so many great friends here. There is a great sense of community. Halloween and 4th of July are great celebrations.
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8/14/2010 06:30:17 PM Report AbuseThere are several elderly comm's. Trick-or-treating the downtown merchants & the 100 yr old houses w/ big trees, Santa handing out apples & candy from the fire truck on Xmas morning, and the 4th of July with its pancake breakfast, parade, free swim at comm pool and carnival at high school. Summer concerts in the park and street fairs in a city that averages 80 deg yr round.
7/27/2010 10:26:24 PM Report AbuseLV's a "walking community"; movies, shopping, restaurants, schools, comm. pool, library, skate prk. Old-fash candy/ice cream store. College students walking to class or socializing at the bar & grill. A person can be born in LV, attend K-12th grade, complete college at LV's private Univ, work nearby, and remain a resident for the rest of his/her years.
7/27/2010 10:25:47 PM Report AbuseI grew up in LaVerne and wouldn't want to raise my kids anywhere else. This town has a strong sense of community, volunteerism, and family values and the schools here are among the best in the state! I believe it is one of the few towns left where neighbors still borrow sugar from each other and children play on cul-de-sacs still the street lights come on. But I'm with the others...mum's the word!
7/25/2010 10:30:04 PM Report AbuseNothing beats the La Verne 4th of July Independence Day celebration! We still go back to spend the whole day there.
7/17/2010 02:18:59 PM Report AbuseOur family has enjoyed living in La Verne for the last 31 years. As a whole it is a lovely community and deserves this recognition.
7/13/2010 08:53:01 PM Report AbuseI have lived in La Verne for 12 years and just love it! My kids attend the private and public schools here and we have no complaints at all. The incidents the ladylyn7 wrote about was a one time thing and hasn't happened since. We are not perfect, by any means, but La Verne is still that small town that values family and community.
7/13/2010 06:47:12 PM Report AbuseBEEN HERE IN LA VERNE FOR OVER 20 YEARS! MY CHILDREN ALL ATTENDED THESE OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS! MY HUBBY AND I LOOK FORWARD ON OUR RETIREMENT HERE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWN. HE JUST DID RETIRED SO WE ARE SO MUCH ENJOYING OUR GREAT TOWN! I LOVE IT BEING A SMALL TOWN.
7/13/2010 04:05:41 PM Report AbuseWe moved our family to La Verne in 1976 and we absolutely love it here. We are retired now and they is no place I would rather live. I retired after 32 years in law enforcement and I can truthfully say that La Verne is a safe place to live and raise a family. In all fairness Ladylyn7 is correct about the incidents she refers to. However, that was about 20 years ago and the white gang was 4 skinheads who were caught and dealt with. There has been nothing like it before or since.
7/11/2010 04:55:19 PM Report AbuseWhen I found out that my city is one of the best 10... I was happy and sad at the same time only because my city is a best kept secret -not any more. There are so many reasons why I chose to move here 10yrs ago and I wouldn't want to live any where else. I feel privilege to live here in La Verne that is surrounded by over populated cities that get away from the small town atmosphere which La Verne wants to continue for future generations.
7/9/2010 04:48:53 PM Report AbuseI have to say that ladylyn7 is totally wrong! We are not gang infested at all! I grew up here, moved away in my 20's, got married and decided to move back. We wanted to have a house with a yard for our kids to play in, great schools and an even better community and that is exactly what La Verne has. I totally agree with ULVMother though, shhh- let's keep it a secret as long as we can!
7/9/2010 04:02:50 PM Report AbuseWe have lived in La Verne for 26 years and truly believe it is one of the best places to live and raise children. And we have a lovely University in our small town. But please, shhh - we've been trying to keep it a secret!
7/6/2010 05:39:42 PM Report Abuse