Rochester tops Livability's 'Best Places to Live' list for second straight year
For the second consecutive year, Rochester has landed the top spot on Livability.com's list of the best places to live in the U.S.
Here's a look at the top five:
- Rochester
- Iowa City, Iowa
- Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Olympia, Wash.
- Charlottesville, Va.
The following Minnesota cities also made the 2017 list: Woodbury (27), Edina (36), St. Paul (40), Duluth (74) and Eagan (89).
This is the fourth year Livability has released a list of the most livable cities in the U.S. The publication analyzes more than 2,000 small to mid-sized cities using metrics from eight categories: economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care.
This year's methodology was developed in partnership with New York University's Schools of Professional Studies and Emsi, which models economic data into actionable intelligence for cities.
“The fact is that each one of these cities on the list are a best place to live," said Becky Henson, a spokesperson for Livability. "Our data experts scoured thousands of cities and data points to build a list that truly encompasses the things that make a place ideal.”
Rochester has made the "best places" list all four years, with first-place finishes in both 2016 and 2017. Livability has also recognized the Med City for its affordability and entrepreneurship.
Cover photo by William Forsman
