Madison, MS Among '10 Best' for Families in United States

Madison Among '10 Best' For Families In U.S.

Family Circle

has named Madison, MS, one of the

Top

Ten Towns for Families

in America. Family Circle Magazine,

working in conjunction with On Board, a New York City based

research firm, delved into the things Americans most want in a

hometown. Their results culminated from "a first of its kind

investigation to identify the best communities across the

country that combine big city opportunities with suburban

charm." They sought out "locations that offer an ideal blend of

good jobs, top rated schools, wide open spaces and a lot less

stress." Their findings and the ten cities selected will appear in the August 2007 issue of

Family Circle

which will be on the newsstands July 10th.

The Family Circle and On Board's ten top towns came from "a list of 1,850

places with populations between 15,000 and 150,000." From that list, "800 localities

were selected based on family-friendly criteria including low crime rate, health care, air

quality, green space, schools, and jobs. Family Circle assessed which towns best met

those standards and ranked them according to state. The winners were selected from the

highest-rated towns in the top 10 states nationwide."

Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler said she was humbled by the announcement. "It is

an honor to be chosen as one of Family Circle's inner circle of cities. Their definition of

ideal hometown life is very true to our daily dreams and desires for Madison. Familysaid that in all the ten cities selected, Moms and Dads are hands on - they

Circle

volunteer in schools and coach sports. Of course, volunteerism is what really makes a

community. Churches and the volunteer spirit are in essence the backbone of any town.

I salute Family Circle for understanding this and for caring about hometown America in

such a special way. I am grateful for all the benefits that Mississippi brings into the life

of every community. This is the people's award."

Published 15 times a year by Meredith Corporation, with a circulation of 3.9

million and 20 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly

magazines in the world. Family Circle provides smart, relevant advice, sensible

solutions, and inspiration in a voice that encourages and celebrates success in its pages

and online at www.familycircle.com. Family Circle has always been committed to

women's issues and in 1973 became the first women's magazine to fully underwrite a

professional women's sporting event, the Family Circle Cup, an annual women's tennis

tournament held in April in Charleston, S.C., at Family Circle Magazine Stadium.

Family Circle

also partners with CBS Television's The Early Show for a monthly on-air

segment with Hannah Storm called "In the Family Circle."