A consumer advocacy Web site that focuses on financial literacy has been ranking cities that are the best for young families in all 50 states. On Sunday, the Web site released the top 10 for West Virginia and it’s good news for Bridgeport.

 

Using five key areas, the Web site www.nerdwallet.com had Bridgeport listed as the top city in the Mountain State for young families. Bridgeport edged out Hurricane in the overall score that was based on several areas.

 

“There are five variables that we looked at, but the three key components involved. Those components involved the quality of the public schools, the affordability of living there and whether the town was growing,” said Mike Anderson, an analyst with the site who authored the article on West Virginia.

 

The five graded areas included the GreatSchools Rating, median home value, monthly owner costs, median household incomes and the growth from 1999 to 2011. The article on the Web site shows where the figures were gathered; primarily the 2011 U.S. Census. Anderson said the criteria used were established after interviewing young families about what they felt was important to them.

 

“We’ve been doing this since May and I think people have really enjoyed it,” said Anderson. “We’ve received feedback that some cities have used the data that’s been gathered to get grants on the education front.”

 

Bridgeport Mayor Mario Blount was also pleased with the announcement. He said it’s a positive that the community and its Council are working in the right direction.

 

“The first thing it does is that it shows the value our residents have in their community it validates what the City Council has been working on as it relates to its short term and long term,” said Blount. “When you have an outside agency such as this looking at you and tell you you’re the best, that’s where the validation comes from because this isn’t paid for.”

 

Bridgeport had a high score of 68.3 points, which was just above Hurricane’s 67.2. Fairmont is ranked at number eight; Buckhannon was 10^th and Morgantown 14^th in the same poll. Only 36 cities were evaluated in the poll, according to the Web site. Only cities with a population greater than 4,000 were considered.