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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These 2 Iowa cities are among the top 100 places to live in the U.S. Who made the cut?
A pair of eastern Iowa cities are among the 100 best places to live, according to a recent ranking. Each year, publishes its top 100 places to live in the United States, focusing on small—to medium-sized cities. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City each scored well on a multi-prong scale, each securing spots of the prestigious list. How does Livability determine its top places to live list? The methodology for Livability's list is designed to identify cities that offer the best combination of affordability, opportunity, and quality of life. The media company partners with Applied Geographic Solutions to curate the list based on 100 data points across eight categories: More: Who has Iowa's Best Burger? The 2025 winner comes from a sports bar in Pleasantville, Iowa Economy: Includes unemployment rate and income growth Housing and cost of living: Considers affordability and tax rates Amenities: Covers cultural, leisure and shopping options Transportation: Examines car ownership, walkability, and commute times Environment: Assesses population density, air quality, and disaster risks Safety: Looks at crime rates and overall community security Education: Evaluates school quality and educational attainment Health: Considers life expectancy and healthcare access Each city is assigned a Livability Score (LivScore), derived from an algorithm that weighs each category, with a possible score of 1,000. The company looks at 2,000 cities with populations between 75,000 and 500,000 each year. The final list of 100 cities represents the top 5% of cities within the studied range. Why is Cedar Rapids a top place to live? Cedar Rapids, the second-largest metro area in the state, has a LivScore of 718, placing it ahead of Coral Springs, Florida, which has a score of 717, and Rio Rancho, New Mexico, which has a composite score of 716. More: See April showers bring flowers, life to Iowa City Cedar Rapids scored the highest in the categories of housing, cost of living, transportation, amenities, and economy. Last year, Cedar Rapids was down slightly from the year before, securing a score of 762 in 2024. Cedar Rapids, according to the list, offers a welcoming lifestyle with a rich history and diverse culture within the city limits. The Linn County city is home to thriving industries like manufacturing, technology, and bioscience while maintaining a strong connection to farmland. Scenes from around the University of Iowa Campus Wednesday, July 31, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. Why is Iowa City a top place to live? Iowa City secured a LivScore of 709, placing it ahead of Lincoln, Nebraska (707), and Fargo, North Dakota (706). Like Cedar Rapids, Iowa City scored high in housing and cost of living, and transportation, though its highest scoring categories were health (67), and education (65. Iowa City also lost ground from a year ago, scoring 747 in 2024. More: Residents swarm Iowa City streets, rebuking Trump's immigration policies, celebrating workers The City of Literature is home to the largest hospital in the state, while the community also boasts safe neighborhoods, well-regarded public schools, and a strong economy driven by education, technology, and manufacturing. The top five cities in the U.S. While the Livability doesn't officially rank each city, these five cities had the highest LivScore among the 100 on this year's list: Flower Mound, Texas, with a LivScore of 875 Carmel, Indiana (872) Sugarland, Texas (854) Naperville, Illinois (841) Roswell, Georgia (838) Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_ This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Which eastern Iowa communities made the top 100 places to live list?
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These 5 Illinois cities are among the top 100 places for small and mid-sized cities in US
Five Illinois cities made a list of best places to live in the United States. Livability, a marketing company, annually highlights the nation's best small to mid-sized cities with affordable living costs. In partnership with Applied Geographic Solutions, the company commissioned data on thousands of cities. Livability curated the list based on nearly 100 data points that included local economy, housing and cost of living, amenities, transportation, environment, safety, education and health. The company limited the study to communities of between 75,000 and 500,000 residents. Here's how Illinois cities fared in the the marketing company's 2025 list of "Top 100 Best Places to Live." Naperville was the highest-rated Illinois city, placing fourth nationwide behind Flower Mound, Texas; Carmel, Indiana; and Sugar Land, Texas. The city received high marks for its school system, parks, bustling downtown, low cost of living, and sense of community. Livability ranked Evanston 17th nationwide for its historic charm, intellectual life, scenic lakefront, busy downtown and affordability. The company noted that Evanston is home to several universities, including Northwestern, which Forbes magazine placed on its 2025 list of 'New Ivies.' Illinois' Bloomington placed 25th nationwide, five spots behind its Minnesota counterpart. The city's tranquil setting was a key selling point, along with a strong economy, quality schools, and a thriving arts scene. Bloomington, Indiana took 54th place. Champaign came in as Livability's 80th best place to live in the U.S. In addition to an education system creating job opportunities that stimulate the economy, the city offers affordable housing and an active arts scene. Champaign is also home to the University of Illinois, which was also deemed by Forbes as one of the 'New Ivies." More: Two Illinois universities considered among the 'New Ivies' by Forbes. See the list Peoria made Livability's list for the third straight year, placing 83rd nationally. Livability cited the city's strong sense of community, affordability and diverse recreational options, including a variety of local festivals. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 5 Illinois cities praised for affordability and culture
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Asheville ranks among top 10 cities in the Southeast for livability: Here's why
In a study on 2025's best places to live, ranks Asheville among the top 10 for towns in the Southeast. uses data on thousands of U.S. cities, then sorts through the data and partners with Applied Geographic Solutions to curate a list of Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. yearly. These places are chosen based on nearly 100 data points, according to the website. Only mid-size cities with populations between 75,000-500,000 are considered for the list. According to "that's the sweet spot in size for getting plugged in, finding your people and feeling at home fast." Similarly, only cities with median home values of $500,000 or less are considered. In this year's analysis, Asheville ranks No. 8 throughout all Southeastern towns considered. Here's why, plus more information on the lists and what makes a city livable. More: Biltmore garden ranks top 5 most colorful in North America, top 50 in the world: See why Asheville places among the top 10 best cities for livability in the Southeast according to ranking at No. 8 with a 699 out of 1,000 possible points - and there was plenty of data to back up this ranking. "Nestled in a beautiful setting, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the city is a picture-perfect paradise," writers said of Asheville. "Plus, there's a fun and funky vibe here, with eclectic shops and galleries (in a walkable downtown!), trend-setting independent restaurants, a top-notch craft beer scene, art deco architecture and festivals that celebrate anything and everything." also includes the following data in their study of Asheville: Average Commute - 18 minutes Median Home Value - $407,100 Median Household Income - $103,704 Total Population - 97,470 Median Property Tax - $2,503 Median Monthly Rent - $1,146 Though Asheville is still recovering from the effects of Tropical Storm Helene, called the city a "resilient place," with a tight-knit community that has "only grown closer" in the aftermath of the storm. With this in mind, the website reminds the public that, as one of the town's biggest industries is tourism, planning a trip is one way to help the community recover. Here's what writers suggest for a visit to Asheville: Classic favorites such as the Biltmore Estate and Folk Art Center. Cultural celebrations such as Hola, a festival highlighting Latin culture, and the annual Goombay Festival to celebrate the African diaspora and Asheville's African American community. Small theater shows and larger events at venues such as the Wortham Center. Historical spots such as Thomas Wolfe's childhood home. Quirky stops like the Pinball Museum, Lexington Glassworks and plenty more. Outdoor enthusiasts can "find tranquility" through forest bathing tours, NC Arboretum, WNC Nature Center and other ample outdoor opportunities. "Shop until you drop" at local boutiques and vintage stores on Lexington Avenue and throughout downtown Asheville. To see more of the many suggestions from visit their page on Asheville at The top 10 cities chosen for livability in the Southeast: Roswell, Georgia Hoover, Alabama Raleigh, North Carolina Charleston, South Carolina Coral Springs, Florida Durham, North Carolina Greenville, South Carolina Asheville, North Carolina Fayetteville, Arkansas Louisville, Kentucky The overall top 10 best cities for livability in the U.S.: Flower Mound, Texas Carmel, Indiana Sugar Land, Texas Naperville, Illinois Roswell, Georgia Overland Park, Kansas Troy, Michigan Columbia, Maryland Olathe, Kansas Round Rock, Texas calculates livability scores as a number out of 1,000 possible points using the following factors: Economy, including data points like unemployment rate, employment stability and opportunity and industrial diversity. Housing and cost of living, including data points like tax rates, home and rental affordability measures and discretionary income. Amenities, including data points like cultural amenities (museums, arts, dining variety, etc.) and leisure amenities (parks, golf, sports venues, nightlife, etc.). Transportation, including data points like walkability, median commute time and average vehicles per household. Environment, including data points like population density, air quality and various natural disaster risks. Safety, including data points like various crime rates. Education, including data points like school quality and educational attainment. Health, including data points like life expectancy, doctor and hospital access and prevalence of health concerns like diabetes, asthma and cancer. Top categories in which Asheville shines, according to findings from include environment, amenities and education. More: 3 Western NC wineries among Southern Living's 10 in NC that have European vibes Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@ This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Things to do in Asheville, why livability ranks top 10 in Southeast
