KUDOS TO CRESTWOOD: Bloomberg Businessweek magazine has named Crestwood the "Best Place to Raise Kids in Missouri," lauding the community for top-tier schools and excellent municipal services.

Crestwood was included in the magazine's list of the best places to raise kids in the United States.

Here's what the magazine wrote about Crestwood: "The culture, music, and jobs of St. Louis - not to mention the World Series-winning Cardinals - may be only 13 miles away, but the suburban community of Crestwood ... offers lower tax rates and better municipal services. It is part of the Lindbergh School district, which was the state's first to offer the International Baccalaureate program."

Lindbergh schools are highly ranked among Missouri's K-12 districts for academic achievement. Crestwood and Long schools are both top 10 elementary schools in Missouri and "National Schools of Character." Crestwood school also won the 2011 National Blue Ribbon School Award, which is the highest honor a school can earn for academic achievement.

Crestwood's residential property tax rates are among the lowest in the area, while the community's municipal services are considered among the best in St. Louis County.

The community, which is home to seven parks, was named a "Tree City USA" for the 16th time this year.

The best places to raise kids list was determined by a collaborative effort between the magazine and Bloomberg Rankings. They evaluated 4,169 cities based on information about education, economy, crime, amenities, air quality and ethnic diversity. Expenditures, income and school performance were given the most weight.