Check out US News and World Report particularly for their “best lists.” Best cars, best shoes, best skis, best cafes, best states, best home loans, etc.
Here is the US News and World Report on the 50 Best Places to Live in America as of 2017. The media company used 5 metrics to evaluate each of 150 cities…job market, value, quality of life, diversity, and net migration. It defined value as a blend of annual household incomes and cost of living. Quality of life was defined by crime rates, college readiness, commute times, population and median annual salaries,
Affordability, access to well-paying jobs, low cost of living, good school quality and access to quality healthcare were folded in to both value and quality of life. Additional criteria under these two headings were climate, politics and proximity to extended family.
The top 10 of the top 50 places to live are below:
(Check out Fayetteville at #5)
- Austin, TX – Austin pulls in 50 new residents daily with its hot music scene, access to outdoor spaces and its multiple cultural institutions. Austin, also known as “Silicon Hills,” is one of the top venture capital investment hubs in the country.
Population: 1,889,094
Average Annual Salary – $49,560
Quality of Life – 7.3
Value – 7.3
- Denver, CO – The “mile high city” sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It’s one hour to some of the top ski and snowboard outfits in the country. Denver is also a tech boomtown.
Population – 2,703,972
Average Annual Salary – $54,450
Quality of Life – 6.8
Value – 7.2
- San Jose, CA – Sitting within Silicon Valley’s tech capital of the country, San Jose is a sprawling city defined by suburban neighborhoods. There is no problem finding and getting jobs for these highly educated residents.
Population – 1,925,706
Average Annual Salary – $78,620
Quality of Life – 7.7
Value – 6.1
- Washington DC – DC is a hub for politics, health care services and education and thus, its job market is strong. Each neighborhood is distinctly its own.
Population – 5,949,403
Annual Average Salary – $65,900
Quality of Life – 6.6
Value – 7.4
- Fayetteville, Arkansas – Sitting among the Ozark Mountains and 7 of the top Fortune 500 companies, Fayetteville, has grown from “a small town to the center of higher education, culture, commerce and entrepreneurialism.”
Population – 493.095
Average Annual Salary – $43,570
Quality of Life – 7.4
Value – 7.9
- Seattle, WA – Seattle sits between water and mountains, t has less rain than people expect and it’s known for its atmosphere of “calm and patience.” There are abundant jobs in tech, health care, manufacturing and maritime industries and it’s close to nature.
Population – 3,614,361
Average Annual Salary – $50,060
Quality of Life – 6.2
Value – 6.3
- Raleigh – Durham, North Carolina – Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are collectively known as “The Triangle.” Attracting 80 new residents daily, this group of cities is founded on the research and tech arms of Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina. The job market is very strong plus there’s an ever-popping microbrewery and dining scene.
Population 1,750,000
Average Annual Salary –
$51,150
Quality of Life – 6.9
Value – 7.7
- Boston, MA – Boston is America’s “Cradle of Liberty.” Higher education and tech flourish here as well as spirited fans of the Red Sox and the Patriots. Diversity is one of Boston’s watchwords.
Population – 4,694,565
Average Annual Salary – $62,070
Quality of Life – 6.7
Value – 5.8
- Des Moines, Iowa – Millennials and young families are flocking to this city of local and unique shops, restaurants, historic residences and quiet neighborhoods. The job market is thriving here, as are the +80 insurance companies.
Population – 601,187
Average Annual Salary – $47170
Quality of Life – 6.8
Value – 8.5
- Salt Lake City, Utah – Salt Lake is teeming with tech, young families and millennials, jobs, snow and ski resorts. Salt Lake also boasts some 900 acres of public parks. It is considered one of America’s outdoor paradises.
Population = 2.325.531
Average Annual Salary – $44,752
Quality of Life – 6.9
Value – 7.7
To check out the 40 other best places to live, go to https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=us+world+news+best+places+to+live&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
