FAIRHOPE, Ala. - Fairhope was named number four in Family Circle magazine’s survey of the “10 Best Towns for Families: 2011.”

The top communities in the magazine’s annual survey were selected from an initial list of 2,500 cities based on criteria such as affordable homes, quality schools, access to health care, green space and financial stability.

The online article will appear in the August print edition of the magazine.

Family Circile ranked this year’s top cities as follows:

1. St. Charles, Ill.

2. Peachtree City, Ga.

3. Liberty, Mo.

4. Fairhope, Ala.

5. Friendswood, Texas.

6. Novi, Mich.

7. Trumbull, Conn.

8. Germantown, Wisc.

9. Oviedo, Fla.

10. Maple Valley, Wash.

The article quoted Fairhope resident Katie Turner, 42, as saying, “We’ve got the great outdoors, good schools and good neighbors—everything a family could want.”

The following information about Fairhope was included in the article: Population, 15,953; Median Income, $55,587; Median Home Price, $200,000; Household with Kids, 31%; Student/Teacher Ratio, 17:1; and Great Schools Rating, 10.

Great School ratings are based on standardized test scores and were provided by GreatSchools.net, the article stated. Information for the annual survey was developed by Onboard Informatics, a New York City research firm, according to the magazine.