Buffalo Grove, Barrington tops to raise kids

If a safe, tight-knit community with good schools is where you want to live, Businesweek.com says two Northwest suburbs are perfect places to call home.

The business magazine and Web site has named Barrington and Buffalo Grove two of the 50 best places in the country for raising kids.

Barrington was ranked 25th. Buffalo Grove came in 30th and took first in recreational and cultural activities.

"This definitely caught us by surprise," said Mike Terson, spokesman for the village's park district. "We're fortunate enough being part of a village that does a lot of other things excellently."

He also gave credit to Buffalo Grove's art commission, which organizes events such as the annual art fair.

The magazine ranked communities on five criteria: cost of living, recreational and cultural activities, number of schools, school test scores and risk of crime.

"We are very pleased," Barrington Village President Karen Darch said. "Barrington is a wonderful place to live."

She credited the residents with helping to make it on the list.

"There are a lot of caring people in this community," Darch said.

Overall, seven Illinois communities -- the second-most of any state -- made Business Week's top 50. They include Western Springs and Deerfield in second and third, respectively. Batavia came in 21st; Wilmette, seventh; and Clarendon Hills 33rd. First in the country was Groesbeck, Ohio, an unincorporated suburb of Cincinnati.

Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein said it's great having a third-party reaffirmation of the village's worth.

"It's something we as a community can be very proud of," he said.

To view the entire list and where communities ranked in the five major criteria, visit promo.realestate.yahoo.com/great_places_to_raise_kids.html.