Families Valued

Given their safe streets, high- achieving schools, lush parks and active economies, Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley are among the 15 best big cities in the United States for raising children.

That is according to a study released Tuesday by the activist group Zero Population Growth, which rated 219 cities on factors that included teenage pregnancies, student-teacher ratios, the number of bad air days, crime rates, the number of children in poverty and other pressures that affect the health and safety of children.

Of the three Ventura County cities included in the study, Thousand Oaks posted the highest scores--ranking 14th overall. Right on its heels was Simi Valley, ranking 15th. Oxnard came in 109th.

The report’s findings hardly come as a surprise to those who raise their families in quiet, secure east county subdivisions.

“I think [Simi Valley] is one of the best places to raise kids,” said Mayor Greg Stratton. “We’re where people go when they sell the Porsche, buy a minivan--or nowadays, a four-wheel-drive [sport] utility vehicle--buy a house in the suburbs and raise kids.”

Irvine was the top-rated California city--third nationwide--while Los Angeles came in a dismal 201st.

The Children’s Environmental Index report ranked cities with populations of 100,000 or more on a scale of 0 to 10, with Naperville, Ill., earning a 10 and Gary, Ind., scoring a 0. Both Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley were listed as 8.2s, while Oxnard posted a 5.5 rating.

The report was not without its critics, especially in low-rated cities such as Los Angeles.

Dowell Myers, an urban planning professor at the University of Southern California, called the survey “indiscriminate, imprecise and riddled with holes.”

He said the survey uses factors like dropout rate, median family income, childhood poverty rates and teenage birth rates that are several years old.

“They left out a lot of other things that are important, like the availability of sports activities, youth development programs, music instruction in schools--a lot of other human-development indicators that are important for kids,” Myers said.

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Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley cracked the top 10 in several categories, while Oxnard was at the bottom of the heap in one. Thousand Oaks ranked fifth in health, eighth in economics and 10th in crime. Simi Valley ranked eighth in health and fourth in crime.

Dr. Chris Landon, director of pediatrics at the Ventura County Medical Center, said he is not surprised by the results in the health category.

“What those Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley numbers suggest is that yes, you can buy access to better prenatal care,” Landon said. “And better prenatal care is usually going to mean better health for children.”

He noted that there are 30 to 40 pediatricians east of the Conejo Grade, compared to about 20 for the rest of the county.

“You’re talking about a group of people that has money and puts children on pedestals and says, ‘I’m going to buy the best health care possible for you,’ ” he said.

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Oxnard had a poor showing in education, as the 211th city from the top.

But Councilman John Zaragoza said he expects his city to fare better in future rankings, given improving crime trends and school-boosting programs.

“Oxnard is a big city,” he said. “Any time you have a big city, you have more people and more to work with, whether it’s good or bad. . . . But overall, it’s a good place to live.”

He added that schools in Oxnard’s two districts will become roomier and more technologically savvy after the passage of two $57-million school bonds. Class sizes have been whittled down and test scores are improving.

Zero Population Growth spokesman Tim Cline said Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley placed high in the rankings not only due to their wealth, but because of their relatively slow growth rates. Both cities fared exceptionally well in crime, child poverty and teen pregnancy rates.

“Cities with high median income are always going to do well in these types of studies,” Cline said. “The thing that sets Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley apart are low growth rates. Both are around 1.5%.”

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Thousand Oaks Mayor Judy Lazar said the study reflects what residents have known all along.

“We’re proud of the fact that this is a good place to raise children,” she said. “That’s why people move here.

“I think it’s a testament to our residents and the time they put into the community. A lot of people work very hard to make Thousand Oaks a better place for kids.

“I think it helps that we have a good economic base,” she added. “That helps us deal with health-care concerns. Our air quality is not so great, but we don’t have much control over that.”

However, the high rankings don’t necessarily translate into happy kids, conceded Simi Valley’s Stratton.

“I think the kids would tell you there’s not enough to do here,” he said, despite the proliferation of athletic teams, movie theaters and community groups catering to children. “They want to hang out at a mall or something,” which this bedroom community still lacks.

Times staff writer Carla Rivera contributed to this report.

Kid-Friendly Cities

Here are results of a nationwide ranking of 219 communities of 100,000 or more based on factors such as teenage pregnancy rates, school dropout rates,air quality and infant mortality.

Top Cities

1. Naperville, Ill.

2. Overland Park, Kan.

3. Irvine

4. Plano, Texas.

5. Fargo, N.D.

Selected Southland Cities

Glendale: 117

Lancaster: 151

Los Angeles: 201

Oxnard: 109

Palmdale: 143

Santa Clarita: 49

Simi Valley: 15

Thousand Oaks:14

Source: Zero Population Growth survey Children’s Environmental Index