St. Charles has been named the nation’s number one best place to live for families by Family Circle magazine.

It was chosen by the magazine from a list of 2,500 towns with populations between 15,000 and 150,000 people. Each town considered had a household median income between $55,000 and $95,000; magazine officials then ranked each town based on its family friendly criteria—including affordable homes, quality schools, access to health care, green space, low crime rate and financial stability, according to a press release issued by Family Circle.

St. Charles received the highest overall score on those factors and the results appear in the magazine’s August 2011 issue, which is on newsstands Wednesday.

Features of St. Charles that helped it receive the highest ranking include its friendly neighborhoods, innovative schools and beautiful parks, according to Family Circle. Other factors include its variety of cultural amenities, unique architecture and rich heritage.

Other cities rounding out the top 10 are:
                           
2. Peachtree City, GA                                        
3. Liberty, MO                                                
4. Fairhope, AL                                                
5. Friendswood, TX
6. Novi, MI
7. Trumbull, CT   
8. Germantown, WI
9. Oviedo, FL
10. Maple Valley, WA