Much as I don't like that it's true, most of what ndavies listed applies for us as well. Most of all it was schools at the point we would have had to pay private school tuition and transportation expenses/time for 2 kids as they started middle school. We made providing good neighborhood schools and access to neighborhood friends a priority for our family.

Is there any city in the US where the schools declined like they did in Detroit, then came back to where they'd be attractive to middle/upper class families again? Any where the vast majority of students pass math competency and reading competency, and where most SAT/ACT scores are solid enough for, say for example, MSU? I don't know of any.

For people without kids [[or without kids at that point in their lives), I think the considerations are different.