Some Iowa Cities Made the List of the 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
US News has released their annual list of the '150 Best Places to Live in the U.S.,' and we're happy to report that A few cities here in Iowa are among the best to live in the entire country!
To determine the list, U.S. News used their own internal resources, plus data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Some of the factors that were looked at include the unemployment rate, average salary, housing costs, crime rates, quality of education, desirability, and the quality/availability of health care.
The highest-rated city in Iowa to make the list was Des Moines, coming in at number 14! The article reads:
"The metro area of more than 680,000 has a small-town, know-your-neighbor feel to it. It's a place where you'll bump into people you know at the grocery store and get invited to backyard barbecues. Newcomers, take note: The people of Des Moines are some of the nicest you'll ever meet."
The article also mentions that Des Moines is home to plenty of unique shops, restaurants, bars, and outdoor recreational activities.
A bit further down on the list are a couple of other cities in Iowa. Number 53 is the Quad Cities, which includes Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, as well as Rock Island and Moline, Illinois. The article says:
"Each [city] is distinct, but with downtowns clustered along the same riverfront and collaborations across business, service and the arts, the area offers many of the amenities you’d expect from one larger city."
The Quad Cities are also home to a variety of breweries, river cruises, casinos, and other fun activities!
If you're wondering which cities were ranked the best in the country, here are the top ten:
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Boulder, Colorado
- San Jose, California
- Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina
- Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Portland, Maine
- Sarasota, Florida
- San Francisco, California
Check out the rest of the list from US News HERE!