• Four Northern California zip codes made the list of 30 best in the nation for families. Scroll ahead to see where they fall.1. Kansas City metro area, Missouri. ZIP: 64014 Blue Springs, Mo. Median home price: $159,700 Photo: Google Maps
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Four Northern California zip codes made the list of 30 best in the nation for families. Scroll ahead to see where they fall.

1. Kansas City metro area, Missouri.
ZIP: 64014 Blue Springs, Mo.
Median home price: $159,700

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Four Northern California zip codes made the list of 30 best in the nation for families. Scroll ahead to see where they fall.

1. Kansas City metro area, Missouri.
ZIP: 64014 Blue Springs, Mo.
Median home ... more
Photo: Google Maps
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2. Oklahoma City metro area, Oklahoma.
ZIP: 73170 Tuttle, Okla.
Median home price: $165,000
2. Oklahoma City metro area, Oklahoma.
ZIP: 73170 Tuttle, Okla.
Median home price: $165,000
Photo: Google Maps
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3. St. Louis metro area, Missouri.
ZIP: 63026 Fenton, Mo.
Median home price: $167,000

3. St. Louis metro area, Missouri.
ZIP: 63026 Fenton, Mo.
Median home price: $167,000
Photo: Google Maps
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4. Palm Beach metro area, Florida.
ZIP: 33496 Boca Raton, Fla.
Median home price: $167,500
4. Palm Beach metro area, Florida.
ZIP: 33496 Boca Raton, Fla.
Median home price: $167,500
Photo: Google Maps
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5. Chicago metro area, Illinois.
ZIP: 60503 Aurora, Ill.
Median home price: $168,000
5. Chicago metro area, Illinois.
ZIP: 60503 Aurora, Ill.
Median home price: $168,000
Photo: Google Maps
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6. Indianapolis metro area, Indiana.
ZIP: 46112 Brownsburg, Ind.
Median home price: $184,100
6. Indianapolis metro area, Indiana.
ZIP: 46112 Brownsburg, Ind.
Median home price: $184,100
Photo: Google Maps
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7. Cleveland metro area, Ohio. 
ZIP: 44147 Broadview Heights, Ohio
Median home price: $200,000
7. Cleveland metro area, Ohio. 
ZIP: 44147 Broadview Heights, Ohio
Median home price: $200,000
Photo: Google Maps
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8. Philadelphia metro area, Pennsylvania.
ZIP: 19044 (Horsham, Pa.)
Median home price: $217,500

8. Philadelphia metro area, Pennsylvania.
ZIP: 19044 (Horsham, Pa.)
Median home price: $217,500
Photo: Google Maps
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9. Atlanta metro area, Georgia.
ZIP: 30519 Buford, Ga.
Median home price: $220,000
9. Atlanta metro area, Georgia.
ZIP: 30519 Buford, Ga.
Median home price: $220,000
Photo: Google Maps
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10. Columbus metro area, Ohio.
ZIP: 43065 Powell, Ohio
Median home price: $229,500
10. Columbus metro area, Ohio.
ZIP: 43065 Powell, Ohio
Median home price: $229,500
Photo: Google Maps
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12. Pittsburgh metro area, Pennsylvania. 
ZIP: 16066 Cranberry Township, Pa.
Median home price: $274,000
12. Pittsburgh metro area, Pennsylvania. 
ZIP: 16066 Cranberry Township, Pa.
Median home price: $274,000
Photo: Google Maps
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13. Las Vegas metro area, Nevada. 
ZIP: 89144 Summerlin neighborhood
Median home price: $295,000
13. Las Vegas metro area, Nevada. 
ZIP: 89144 Summerlin neighborhood
Median home price: $295,000
Photo: Google Maps
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14. Jacksonville metro area, Florida. 
ZIP: 32259 St. John’s, Fla.
Median home price: $297,000

14. Jacksonville metro area, Florida. 
ZIP: 32259 St. John’s, Fla.
Median home price: $297,000
Photo: Google Maps
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16. Sacramento metro area, California.
ZIP: 95677 Rocklin, Calif.
Median home price: $330,500
16. Sacramento metro area, California.
ZIP: 95677 Rocklin, Calif.
Median home price: $330,500
Photo: Google Maps
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17. Charlotte metro area, North Carolina.  
ZIP: 28104 Matthews, N.C.
Median home price: $336,500
17. Charlotte metro area, North Carolina.  
ZIP: 28104 Matthews, N.C.
Median home price: $336,500
Photo: Google Maps
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18. Nashville metro area, Tennessee. 
ZIP: 37179 Thompson’s Station, Tenn.
Median home price: $372,500
18. Nashville metro area, Tennessee. 
ZIP: 37179 Thompson’s Station, Tenn.
Median home price: $372,500
Photo: Google Maps
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20. Denver metro area, Colorado.
ZIP: 80122 Centennial, Colo.
Median home price: $380,000
20. Denver metro area, Colorado.
ZIP: 80122 Centennial, Colo.
Median home price: $380,000
Photo: Google Maps
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21. Portland metro area, Oregon. 
ZIP: 97035 Lake Oswego, Ore.
Median home price: $417,500

21. Portland metro area, Oregon. 
ZIP: 97035 Lake Oswego, Ore.
Median home price: $417,500
Photo: Google Maps
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22. Los Angeles metro area, California.
ZIP: 91355 Valencia, Calif.
Median home price: $480,000

22. Los Angeles metro area, California.
ZIP: 91355 Valencia, Calif.
Median home price: $480,000
Photo: Google Maps
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23. Seattle metro area, Washington.
ZIP: 98045 North Bend, Wash.
Median home price: $510,000

23. Seattle metro area, Washington.
ZIP: 98045 North Bend, Wash.
Median home price: $510,000
Photo: Google Maps
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24. San Diego metro area, California.
ZIP: 21771 Carmel Mountain Ranch
Median home price: $515,000

24. San Diego metro area, California.
ZIP: 21771 Carmel Mountain Ranch
Median home price: $515,000
Photo: Google Maps
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25. Washington, D.C. metro area
ZIP: 21771 Mt. Airy, MD
Median home price: $529,500

25. Washington, D.C. metro area
ZIP: 21771 Mt. Airy, MD
Median home price: $529,500
Photo: Google Maps
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26. Fort Lauderdale metro area, Florida.
ZIP: 33332 Weston, Fla.
Median home price: $567,100

26. Fort Lauderdale metro area, Florida.
ZIP: 33332 Weston, Fla.
Median home price: $567,100
Photo: Google Maps
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27. Orange County metro area, California.
ZIP: 92612 University Park
Median Home Price: $579,000

27. Orange County metro area, California.
ZIP: 92612 University Park
Median Home Price: $579,000
Photo: Google Maps
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28.Oakland metro area, California.
ZIP: 94596 Walnut Creek CA
Median home price: $625,000

28.Oakland metro area, California.
ZIP: 94596 Walnut Creek CA
Median home price: $625,000
Photo: Google Maps
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29. San Jose metro area, California.
ZIP 95130 West San Jose
Median home price: $799,000

29. San Jose metro area, California.
ZIP 95130 West San Jose
Median home price: $799,000
Photo: Google Maps
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30. San Francisco metro area, California.
ZIP 94960 San Anselmo, Calif.
Median home price $1,035,000
30. San Francisco metro area, California.
ZIP 94960 San Anselmo, Calif.
Median home price $1,035,000
Photo: Google Maps
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Despite notoriously high home prices, four Northern California zip codes — three of which are in the Bay Area — have been named in the top 30 best places to raise a family in the United States by HomeUnion, a real estate investment management firm.

That's not as great an accomplishment as it initially sounds. HomeUnion's findings were compiled by looking at the 50 largest metro areas in the United States, meaning the placement of zip codes in San Anselmo (No. 30), West San Jose (No. 29), Walnut Creek (No. 28), and Rocklin (No. 16), aren't actually that incredible — they're just the best in their area.

Here's how it broke down: HomeUnion first scoured each metro area to find the neighborhoods with the lowest median sale prices for single-family homes (sold between late 2016 and early 2017).

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Media: ZMG San Francisco

Next, they used public school data from Maponics, a website that collects data about neighborhoods and local public services, among other things (the site is now part of Pitney Bowes). They were looking for an average school rating in at least the 80th percentile. If a metro area didn't have a zip code that met both criteria, it was dropped from the list of the top 30.

The top honor went to Blue Springs, Mo. (zip code 64014), near Kansas City. Behind that was Tuttle, Okla., near Oklahoma City, and Fenton, Mo., near St. Louis. 

See all 30 metro areas that landed on their list in the above gallery.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.