There are nearly 20,000 villages, towns, and cities across the 50 states, and not all of them are equally conducive to the well-being of those who live there. While quality of life is subject to a range of factors – close relationships and personal health being among the most important – the local community and environment can also have a meaningful impact.
When it comes to choosing a place to call home, everyone has their own priorities and subjective tastes. Still, there are specific attributes some communities share that are almost universally desirable: safe streets, a strong economy, affordability, and a range of entertainment options, to name a few.
24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of over two dozen measures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and other sources to identify the best city to live in each state. We considered all boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages with at least 8,000 residents.
These cities tend to have much in common beyond the index components upon which they were ranked. For one, these communities are often within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area. This is no coincidence, as close proximity to a major city provides residents with access to more job opportunities; which in turn can help lower unemployment and improve financial security. Places where more residents have completed a college education also tend to be more affluent. Several of the cities on this list also can be found on this list of the most educated city in every state. The best cities to live in include ones just outside of Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, and Washington. These metro areas are highly desirable places to live, but the downside is that they also tend to be very expensive.
1. Valley, Alabama
• Population: 9,439
• 5 yr. population change: -0.8%
• Median home value: $82,900
• Median household income: $39,387
The majority of the cities on this list are relatively wealthy. Valley, Alabama is an exception. The typical household in Valley earns just $39,387 a year, about $5,000 less than the typical Alabama household. Still, serious financial hardship is less common in Valley than in Alabama as a whole as 15.7% of area residents live below the poverty line, well below the 18.4% state poverty rate. Valley residents also benefit from a low cost of living as goods and services are about 6% less expensive in the city than they are nationwide on average.
Valley is a pilot city for the Alabama Communities of Excellence program, a non-profit that partners with governments, businesses, and universities to prepare participating communities for a more vibrant future.
2. Ketchikan, Alaska
• Population: 8,189
• 5 yr. population change: +2.3%
• Median home value: $232,500
• Median household income: $53,937
Health outcomes are an important factor in the overall quality of life in a given area. In Ketchikan, Alaska, the mortality rate of people admitted to the hospital is 12.2 per 100,000 hospital admissions within 30 days. That figure is the lowest of any major metropolitan area in the state. Ketchikan is the only metro area in Alaska with a mortality rate lower than the U.S. mortality rate of 12.9 per 100,000. Thanks to its scenery along the southeastern coast of Alaska and proximity to the continental United States, Ketchikan is a popular tourist destination, especially on cruises. Though much of Alaska is isolated and rural, Ketchikan offers residents and visitors access to many more entertainment options than most parts of the state – which can be important during the long, dark winters. Ketchikan has more bars, restaurants, and movie theaters than almost anywhere else in the state.
3. Paradise Valley, Arizona
• Population: 13,833
• 5 yr. population change: +5.6%
• Median home value: $1,332,600
• Median household income: $173,487
Most houses in Paradise Valley, Arizona, are worth over $1.3 million, more than seven times the U.S. median home value. Paradise Valley residents are able to afford such expensive houses because of their relatively high incomes. The typical household in the city earns $173,487 a year, one of the highest median household incomes in the country.
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