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Where Families Thrive: Top Countries to Call Home
Explore where safety, schooling, and stability shape family futures.
Philip Saparov
April 11, 2025
In partnership with
Greetings, inquisitive planner of legacies and lives well lived!
Whether you're guiding your children through school or eyeing a relocation that benefits your grandchildren, where you choose to call home matters.
Here’s your smart, compact guide to seven countries offering not just good schools, but full ecosystems where families can thrive.
Let’s explore them…
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Engineered for structure, access, and long-term family stability
🎓 Education: Tuition-free public universities (even for foreigners); strong vocational training system; multilingual high school options.
🏥 Healthcare: Universal healthcare accessible to residents and legal expats.
🔐 Safety: Low violent crime; safe cities and towns.
💰 Cost of Living: Moderate; lower education-related expenses due to tuition-free system.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: “Kindergeld” child benefits; generous maternity/paternity leave; subsidized childcare.
🌱 Quality of Life: Excellent infrastructure, green spaces, strong public transit.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Welcoming to EU and skilled workers; language learning helps with integration.
📌 Surprising perk: Students gain access to most EU universities at domestic rates through reciprocal agreements.
Welcoming, safe, and built for long-term opportunity
🎓 Education: Strong public schools; top universities (e.g., U of T, McGill); high international enrollment.
🏥 Healthcare: Universal care; children covered at no cost.
🔐 Safety: Among the safest in the world; stable political climate.
💰 Cost of Living: High in big cities; moderate to low in smaller metros like Halifax or Winnipeg.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: Paid parental leave; Canada Child Benefit; subsidized daycare expanding nationally.
🌱 Quality of Life: Clean environment, strong public services, family-focused culture.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Highly accessible via education, skilled migration, and family sponsorship pathways.
📌 Unexpected stat: Over 20% of students at Canadian universities are international—many become permanent residents.
3. 🇳🇱 Netherlands
Efficient, bilingual, and one of the happiest places for kids
🎓 Education: High-quality bilingual and international schools; excellent universities; strong vocational and academic options.
🏥 Healthcare: Mandatory insurance, highly ranked; English-speaking providers widely available.
🔐 Safety: Very low crime rates; excellent child safety record.
💰 Cost of Living: High in Amsterdam, moderate elsewhere; housing can be competitive.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: Paid leave, child benefits, excellent early childhood programs.
🌱 Quality of Life: Bike-friendly cities, compact living, widespread green spaces.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Very expat-friendly; strong international community; many services in English.
📌 Cultural bonus: Dutch students often commute independently by bike as young as age 10.
A fusion of lifestyle, education, and expat accessibility
🎓 Education: Strong public/private options; global universities (e.g., ANU, Sydney); international student pathways to PR.
🏥 Healthcare: Universal coverage via Medicare; private insurance options available.
🔐 Safety: Low crime rates; safe for kids and newcomers.
💰 Cost of Living: High in Sydney/Melbourne; more affordable in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: Paid parental leave; childcare subsidies; family migration visas.
🌱 Quality of Life: Warm climate, outdoor lifestyle, work-life balance prioritized.
🌍 Expat Outlook: High integration for skilled workers, students, and families.
📌 Family advantage: Outdoor time among Aussie children is among the highest in developed nations—linked to better mental health.
Disciplined excellence in a clean, secure city-state
🎓 Education: Globally top-ranked schools; bilingual curriculum; strong STEM focus; elite universities (NUS, NTU).
🏥 Healthcare: Affordable, world-class public system with private options.
🔐 Safety: Extremely low crime; ranked among safest cities worldwide.
💰 Cost of Living: High for housing and education; strong value for quality.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: “Baby bonus” incentives; school subsidies; government-built family housing.
🌱 Quality of Life: Immaculate urban planning, great public transit, green city initiatives.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Very expat-friendly; large international population; English is an official language.
📌 Future-forward stat: Singapore is pioneering national AI education at all school levels to prepare a future-ready workforce.
Social equality, stunning nature, and effortless family support
🎓 Education: Free public schools and universities; emphasis on critical thinking and balance.
🏥 Healthcare: Universal access; high-quality maternal and pediatric care.
🔐 Safety: Generally safe; strong rule of law and trust in public institutions.
💰 Cost of Living: High taxes, but offset by free education, healthcare, and childcare.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: World-leading paid leave (480 days split between parents); subsidized daycare.
🌱 Quality of Life: Abundant nature, clean cities, pro-environment policies.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Friendly for EU and skilled migrants; English widely spoken.
📌 Well-being edge: Sweden ranks among the top globally for family happiness and work-life satisfaction, not just policy on paper.
Affordable comfort, expanding access, and family-first living
🎓 Education: Free public schools; affordable universities; strong international school presence in Lisbon and Porto.
🏥 Healthcare: Universal public system (SNS); affordable private insurance for expats.
🔐 Safety: Among Europe’s safest countries; very low violent crime.
💰 Cost of Living: Lower than most of Western Europe; family housing and essentials are affordable.
👨👩👧👦 Family Policies: Up to 36 weeks paid parental leave; childcare subsidies and early education access.
🌱 Quality of Life: Mild climate, walkable cities, strong work-life balance culture.
🌍 Expat Outlook: Welcoming visa pathways; English widely spoken in major cities.
📌 Fast-growing trend: Portugal now ranks among the world’s top 5 expat family destinations for lifestyle and affordability.
Final Thought: Home Is Where the Systems Work for You
Whether you’re driven by educational opportunity, healthcare access, long-term affordability—or all of the above—the best countries for families are those that align with your values and long-term goals.
The right nation won’t just help your children succeed academically—it will support them, and you, as builders of a lasting legacy.
Warm regards,
Shane Fulmer
Founder, WorldPopulationReview.com