By ACROSS AMERICA — Strong job markets and high quality of life were the drivers for the top finishers in the the 2024-2025 Best Places to Live in the U.S., a new ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
Naples, Florida, topped the list with high performance in both of those key ratings, U.S. News said. A change in data collection, including a shift from metropolitan area-based data to city-based data — brought some new appearances in the top 25 from the Midwest and South.
“The incorporation of city-based data further localizes the Best Places to Live rankings, empowering those looking for a place to call home to consider factors directly impacting the livability and overall experiences associated with a given place,” Erika Giovanetti, a loans expert and reporter for U.S. News, said in a news release.
This year, U.S. News also adjusted its scoring weights for stronger considerations of a city’s value and job market.
“Rising concerns about career prospects, housing affordability and increased cost of goods and services are reflected in this year’s rankings,” Giovanetti said. “While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans, a city’s value and job market are becoming increasingly important for those looking for a place to live.”
The top places to live in the United States, according to the U.S. News methodology, are:
- 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
- Fayetteville, Arkansas
- San Francisco, California
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- South Bend, Indiana
- Hickory, North Carolina
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Seattle, Washington
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Pensacola, Florida
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Buffalo, New York
- Tampa, Florida
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Fort Myers, Florida
- Portland, Maine
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Denver, Colorado
- Portland, Oregon
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Davenport, Iowa
- Washington, D.C.
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- San Diego, California
- Reno, Nevada
- McAllen, Texas
- Melbourne, Florida
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Springfield, Missouri
- Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Columbus, Ohio,
- El Paso, Texas
- Tucson, Arizona
- Richmond, Virginia
- Spokane, Washington
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Orlando, Florida
- Anchorage, Alaska
- San Jose, California
- Santa Barbara, California
- Wichita, Kansas
- Syracuse, New York
- Rochester, New York
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Tulsa Oklahoma
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Ocala, Florida
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Lakeland, Florida
- Albany, New York
- Peoria, Illinois
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- Augusta, Georgia
- Huntington, West Virginia
- Brownsville, Texas
- Boston, Massachusetts
- San Antonio, Texas
- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Dallas, Texas
- Daytona Beach, Florida
- Houston, Texas
- Toledo, Ohio
- Beaumont, Texas
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Dayton, Ohio
- Mobile, Alabama
- Manchester, New Hampshire
- Lansing, Michigan
- Rockford, Illinois
- Savannah, Georgia
- Killeen, Texas
- Salem, Oregon
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Visalia, Florida
- Shreveport, Louisiana
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Fayetteville, North Carolina
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Eugene, Oregon
- Sacramento, California
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Chicago, Illinois
- Jacksonville, Mississippi
- Bakersfield, California
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Miami, Florida
- New York, New York
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Salisbury, Maryland
- Santa Rosa, California
- Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Los Angeles, California
- Fresno, California
- Youngstown, Ohio
- Salinas, California
- Gulfport, Mississippi
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Worchester, Massachusetts
- York, Pennsylvania
- Springfield, Massachusetts
- Modesto, California
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Reading, Pennsylvania
- Vallejo, California
- Stockton, California
- Trenton, New Jersey
- Flint, Michigan
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Detroit, Michigan
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
U.S. News takes into consideration the city’s job market, value, quality of life and desirability. The measures were weighted in part based on a public survey of thousands of people to find out what qualities they think are important in deciding where to live.
The 2024-2025 Best Places to Live were determined based on a methodology that takes into account the city’s job market, value, quality of life and desirability. These measures were weighted in part based on a public survey of thousands of individuals throughout the U.S. to find what qualities they consider important in a place to live.
Data and information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Sharecare, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other U.S. News rankings were also used in the rankings.
