Yahoo Finance The 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for Quality of Life in 2018
Taking your quality of life into account
Many factors play into truly loving where you live. Affordability and career opportunities certainly contribute, but don't discount daily commute, access to quality education and health care, crime rates and general well-being. As part of the Best Places to Live rankings, U.S. News has compiled information on these important aspects of a top-notch place to Live. Read on for the 25 metro areas that scored highest across all five categories.
25. Springfield, Massachusetts
Best Places 2019 Rank: 86
Median Home Price: $199,650
College Readiness Ranking: 39
Health Ranking: 13
Well-Being Ranking: 97
Crime Ranking: 30
Average Commute Time: 22.8 minutes
Located in western Massachusetts, Springfield scores best for its access to quality health care, ranking 13th in the category. The health care score is based on information from the U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings.
Learn more about Springfield.
24. Syracuse, New York
Best Places 2019 Rank: 54
Median Home Price: $132,500
College Readiness Ranking: 41
Health Ranking: 17
Well-Being Ranking: 91
Crime Ranking: 37
Average Commute Time: 21.2 minutes
This upstate New York metro area ranks 17th for its proximity to quality health care options.
Learn more about Syracuse.
23. Manchester, New Hampshire
Best Places 2019 Rank: 43
Median Home Price: $234,097
College Readiness Ranking: 73
Health Ranking: 9
Well-Being Ranking: 35
Crime Ranking: 2
Average Commute Time: 27.9 minutes
Manchester ranks second out of the 125 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for its low property crime and murder rates.
Learn more about Manchester.
22. Lansing, Michigan
Best Places 2019 Rank: 41
Median Home Price: $136,342
College Readiness Ranking: 72
Health Ranking: 8
Well-Being Ranking: 67
Crime Ranking: 47
Average Commute Time: 21.2 minutes
Michigan's capital has ample nearby health care options for residents, as well as the 11th-shortest commute out the 125 places on the list.
Learn more about Lansing.
21. Hartford, Connecticut
Best Places 2019 Rank: 47
Median Home Price: $215,542
College Readiness Ranking: 16
Health Ranking: 19
Well-Being Ranking: 72
Crime Ranking: 38
Average Commute Time: 23.9 minutes
Hartford's highest score in the Quality of Life category is in college readiness, where it ranks No. 16. College readiness is based on test scores from area public high school students, which are part of the U.S. News Best High Schools rankings data.
Learn more about Hartford.
20. Boise, Idaho
Best Places 2019 Rank: 17
Median Home Price: $221,475
College Readiness Ranking: 65
Health Ranking: 117
Well-Being Ranking: 44
Crime Ranking: 4
Average Commute Time: 22 minutes
Located in a less populated part of the country, Boise doesn't rank high for its proximity to high-ranking hospitals and health care centers, but its low property crime and murder rates secure it the fourth spot in the crime category.
Learn more about Boise.
19. Albany, New York
Best Places 2019 Rank: 28
Median Home Price: $201,533
College Readiness Ranking: 49
Health Ranking: 21
Well-Being Ranking: 49
Crime Ranking: 10
Average Commute Time: 23.1 minutes
Albany also sees particularly low property crime and murder rates, where it ranks 10th out of the 125 places on the list.
Learn more about Albany.
18. El Paso, Texas
Best Places 2019 Rank: 110
Median Home Price: $151,300
College Readiness Ranking: 45
Health Ranking: 123
Well-Being Ranking: 5
Crime Ranking: 14
Average Commute Time: 23.4 minutes
El Paso scores fifth out of the 125 most populous metro areas in the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, which asks residents how they feel about their hometown.
Learn more about El Paso.
17. Austin, Texas
Best Places 2019 Rank: 1
Median Home Price: $292,500
College Readiness Ranking: 7
Health Ranking: 100
Well-Being Ranking: 28
Crime Ranking: 23
Average Commute Time: 26.8 minutes
The No. 1 Best Place to Live in 2019 is a particularly strong area for high school students. Test scores indicate that Austin's high schoolers rank seventh for college readiness out of the 125 most populous metro areas in the U.S.
Learn more about Austin.
16. Melbourne, Florida
Best Places 2019 Rank: 25
Median Home Price: $198,425
College Readiness Ranking: 4
Health Ranking: 38
Well-Being Ranking: 53
Crime Ranking: 49
Average Commute Time: 24.5 minutes
Melbourne high school students rank fourth out of those in the 125 most populous metro areas for college preparedness.
Learn more about Melbourne.
15. Reno, Nevada
Best Places 2019 Rank: 33
Median Home Price: $351,500
College Readiness Ranking: 3
Health Ranking: 54
Well-Being Ranking: 88
Crime Ranking: 54
Average Commute Time: 21.4 minutes
Not only do Reno-area high schoolers rank third for college readiness out of the 125 metro areas on the list, but adult residents also benefit from a fairly short average commute of just 21.4 minutes.
Learn more about Reno.
14. Rochester, New York
Best Places 2019 Rank: 58
Median Home Price: $135,042
College Readiness Ranking: 17
Health Ranking: 32
Well-Being Ranking: 64
Crime Ranking: 32
Average Commute Time: 21.3 minutes
In Rochester, residents spend less time going to work -- just 21.3 minutes, on average -- ranking 13th in the category.
Learn more about Rochester.
13. Sarasota, Florida
Best Places 2019 Rank: 18
Median Home Price: $237,260
College Readiness Ranking: 19
Health Ranking: 46
Well-Being Ranking: 1
Crime Ranking: 34
Average Commute Time: 24.5 minutes
Sunny weather and access to beaches certainly make some people happy -- and that's the case in Sarasota. The area ranks first out of the 125 most populous metro areas in the U.S. in the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index.
Learn more about Sarasota.
12. Fayetteville, Arkansas
Best Places 2019 Rank: 4
Median Home Price: $177,942
College Readiness Ranking: 35
Health Ranking: 68
Well-Being Ranking: 29
Crime Ranking: 20
Average Commute Time: 21.1 minutes
Fayetteville residents commute just 21.1 minutes to work each morning, on average, which is the eighth-shortest commute out of the 125 metro areas on the list.
Learn more about Fayetteville.
11. Madison, Wisconsin
Best Places 2019 Rank: 12
Median Home Price: $247,967
College Readiness Ranking: 38
Health Ranking: 22
Well-Being Ranking: 36
Crime Ranking: 11
Average Commute Time: 21.7 minutes
Madison's best score contributing to the Quality of Life rankings is for crime, where the Wisconsin capital ranks 11th for low murder and property crime rates.
Learn more about Madison.
10. Santa Rosa, California
Best Places 2019 Rank: 74
Median Home Price: $629,917
College Readiness Ranking: 29
Health Ranking: 29
Well-Being Ranking: 2
Crime Ranking: 8
Average Commute Time: 25.2 minutes
This metro area in the heart of California wine country scores well for low murder and property crime rates, ranking eighth in the category.
Learn more about Santa Rosa.
9. San Diego
Best Places 2019 Rank: 36
Median Home Price: $555,325
College Readiness Ranking: 10
Health Ranking: 98
Well-Being Ranking: 10
Crime Ranking: 12
Average Commute Time: 25.7 minutes
San Diego takes the No. 10 spot in both the college ranking and well-being categories, followed by its rank at No. 12 for crime rates.
Learn more about San Diego.
8. Asheville, North Carolina
Best Places 2019 Rank: 16
Median Home Price: $248,500
College Readiness Ranking: 42
Health Ranking: 18
Well-Being Ranking: 9
Crime Ranking: 29
Average Commute Time: 21.2 minutes
Since this metro area is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville residents don't have much traffic to worry about, with an average morning commute of just 21.2 minutes.
Learn more about Asheville.
7. Portland, Maine
Best Places 2019 Rank: 23
Median Home Price: $223,367
College Readiness Ranking: 37
Health Ranking: 39
Well-Being Ranking: 6
Crime Ranking: 1
Average Commute Time: 24.8 minutes
This New England metro area has the lowest property crime and murder rates, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Learn more about Portland.
6. Brownsville, Texas
Best Places 2019 Rank: 116
Median Home Price: $90,400*
College Readiness Ranking: 23
Health Ranking: 97
Well-Being Ranking: N/A
Crime Ranking: 16
Average Commute Time: 20.2 minutes
The morning commute in Brownsville isn't the shortest on the list, but residents certainly aren't complaining. The morning trip to work takes just 20.2 minutes on average.
Learn more about Brownsville.
(*The median home price for Brownsville was not available, so median home value is listed.)
5. McAllen, Texas
Best Places 2019 Rank: 112
Median Home Value: $102,400*
College Readiness Ranking: 6
Health Ranking: 112
Well-Being Ranking: 13
Crime Ranking: 52
Average Commute Time: 21.9 minutes
High school students in McAllen achieve high test scores, helping the Texas metro area rank sixth for college readiness.
Learn more about McAllen.
(*The median home price for McAllen was not available, median home value is used instead.)
4. San Jose, California
Best Places 2019 Rank: 14
Median Home Price: $1,080,017
College Readiness Ranking: 1
Health Ranking: 87
Well-Being Ranking: 17
Crime Ranking: 21
Average Commute Time: 28.2 minutes
As the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is known for its intelligent, highly educated residents -- and their children appear to be following in their footsteps. San Jose is first on the list for college readiness.
Learn more about San Jose.
3. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Best Places 2019 Rank: 13
Median Home Price: $181,533
College Readiness Ranking: 24
Health Ranking: 33
Well-Being Ranking: 12
Crime Ranking: 17
Average Commute Time: 21.8 minutes
In western Michigan, Grand Rapids residents avoid tough traffic with an average morning commute of just 21.8 minutes.
Learn more about Grand Rapids.
2. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Best Places 2019 Rank: 48
Median Home Price: $196,025
College Readiness Ranking: 51
Health Ranking: 1
Well-Being Ranking: 7
Crime Ranking: 13
Average Commute Time: 23.1 minutes
The Lancaster metro area ranks first for its proximity to quality health care and takes the No. 7 spot for its low rates of murder and property crime.
Learn more about Lancaster.
1. Santa Barbara, California
Best Places 2019 Rank: 73
Median Home Price: $463,750
College Readiness Ranking: 53
Health Ranking: 24
Well-Being Ranking: 3
Crime Ranking: 7
Average Commute Time: 19.4 minutes
Santa Barbara residents stay close to home for work, which makes their average morning commute just 19.4 minutes, the shortest out of the 125 most populous metro areas in the U.S.
Learn more about Santa Barbara.
Here are the Best Places to Live in the U.S. for Quality of Life:
-- Santa Barbara, California
-- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
-- Grand Rapids, Michigan
-- San Jose, California
-- McAllen, Texas
-- Brownsville, Texas
-- Portland, Maine
-- Asheville, North Carolina
-- San Diego
-- Santa Rosa, California
-- Madison, Wisconsin
-- Fayetteville, Arkansas
-- Sarasota, Florida
-- Rochester, New York
-- Reno, Nevada
-- Melbourne, Florida
-- Austin, Texas
-- El Paso, Texas
-- Albany, New York
-- Boise, Idaho
-- Hartford, Connecticut
-- Lansing, Michigan
-- Manchester, New Hampshire
-- Syracuse, New York
-- Springfield, Massachusetts
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