U.S. News & World Report has published its annual list of the best places to live in the United States. The list evaluated the 150 most populous metropolitan areas in the country utilizing quality of life, job market, affordability, and desirability indicators. The top spot on the list went to a Midwestern city that may come as a surprise to many Chicagoans. Green Bay was named the best place to live in the country, thanks to a reinvigorated downtown, an urban-suburban mix, and a lively arts and entertainment scene.
The rest of the top 10 cities on the list were located outside the region, making Green Bay the sole Midwestern city to rank high. While other iconic Midwestern college towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Madison, Wisconsin, did not make the top 10, they did place highly in the top 15 at 14th and 11th, respectively.
Here are the top 10 cities on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best places to live in the United States:
1. Green Bay, Wisconsin
2. Huntsville, Alabama
3. Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
4. Boulder, Colorado
5. Sarasota, Florida
6. Naples, Florida
7. Portland, Maine
8. Charlotte, North Carolina
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado
10. Fayetteville, Arkansas
Unfortunately, Illinois did not fare well in the rankings, with the state’s highest metropolitan area, the Quad Cities region (including Moline and Rock Island), ranking at number 54. In Illinois, Peoria placed 70th, Chicago was 123rd, and Rockford came in at 133rd. To see the full US News & World Report rankings, click here.