Did your hometown make the list?
Looking to move or just curious about how your hometown stacks up to others around the country? Well, you’re in luck, because U.S. News & World Report just released its annual list of best cities to live in and there’s a brand-new winner this year.
If you call Naples, Florida home then you’ve got something to celebrate as the city has been crowned the best place to live in 2024/2025. If the beaches weren’t enough of a draw, the resort city earned high marks for providing locals the best bang for their buck and ample job opportunities, which were given more weight than in previous editions.
“This year’s survey found people are concerned about the economy and want more financial stability, so the value and job market categories were the factors that were most important to people,” Erika Giovanetti, U.S. News and World Report’s loans expert, told CBS MoneyWatch.
But if year-long warm temperatures aren’t for you, several other cities made the cut.
Where are the best places to live in the U.S.?
Naples, Florida landed the top spot due in large part to its ultra-low unemployment rate of just 2.9 percent as of April, which is well under the national’s 3.9 percent. It also doesn’t hurt that the beachfront city has plenty of local industries like health care, which serves its big retiree population.
Boise, Idaho came in second on this year’s ranking, despite scoring less in the desirability category, while Colorado Springs, Colorado, ranked third for its overall value. Next up was Greenville, South Carolina followed by Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina as No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, with the three cities receiving high scores for their resilient job market.
Huntsville, Alabama placed seventh, while Virginia Beach, Virginia came in eighth. Austin, Texas, with its growing tech hub, placed ninth after falling to No. 40 in last year’s rankings. But that was something of an anomaly — in every other year since 2020, the Texas capitol was listed in at least the top 20. Meanwhile, Boulder, Colorado rounded out the top ten, with its endless outdoor activities and sought-after quality of life.
Not surprisingly, major cities like New York City and Los Angeles, California, fell to the bottom of the ranking, given their high cost of living. The Big Apple ranked No. 124, while the City of Angels came in at No. 130. “It can be very difficult for big cities to rank well, and a lot of that has to do with the value index, especially with the outsized impact value has on this year’s rankings,” Giovanetti told CBS MoneyWatch.
How do they know?
The U.S. News list takes into account data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. News’ internal resources. This data was then categorized into four indexes with varying power: quality of life (32 percent), value (27 percent), job market (22 percent) and desirability (19 percent). The percent weighting for each of these categories was based on answers from a February 2024 public survey in which people from across the country voted for what they believed was the most important factor in choosing where to live.
“U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings are intended to help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to settle down,” the publication said in its report.
This year’s findings reflected rising consumer concerns about career opportunities and a city’s general affordability. Quality of life remains Americans’ top priority, and was therefore most heavily weighted to determine the rankings.
20 Best Cities to Live in the U.S.
You can read the exhaustive list here, but the top 20 are as follows:
- Naples, Florida
- Boise, Idaho
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Austin, Texas
- Boulder, Colorado
- Sarasota, Florida
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
Where you should live
While this new ranking is a great jumping-off point for those looking to change cities (or need a new destination for their aimless Zillow scrolling), if you’re serious about a move and you have specific needs or concerns, like retirement, housing costs, and climate change, take a look at these lists:
Best and worst states for healthy aging
If you’re looking to relocate in coming years (or decades) and want to choose a destination that may help you continue to be your healthiest self, this list can help you choose which states to favor and which to avoid.
Best places to retire in the U.S.
Clocking out of work for the last time and devoting the rest of one’s years to leisure and relaxation sounds utterly idyllic. But if retirement’s going to live up to the fantasy, there’s one thing you absolutely have to get right from the start: Location.
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If you’re happy and you know it, pack your bags! Well, that’s only if you don’t currently live in one of the happiest cities in America. If you do, please stay put.
Cities that are disaster zones for climate change
From flooding to dangerously high temperatures, these cities are were at risk of climate change in America last year.
Most polite states
If you believe in minding your manners, you might want to check out our round-up of the most (and least) polite states.
Smartest states
Do you pride yourself on your trivia knowledge or ability to finish the New York Times crossword puzzle? Then you’ll be curious to know where your home ranks on the list of states with the highest IQs
