Which Southern City Was Named Best Place to Live?

According to the 2017 Best Places to Live list released by U.S. News & World Report today, Austin, Texas is the best place to live in the country.

Taking into account factors like housing affordability, quality of life, and job prospects, the Best Places to Live listing ranks the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Though Austin took the top spot, the top five was rounded out by Denver; San Jose, California; Washington, D.C., and Fayetteville, Arkansas. Seattle; Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; Boston; Des Moines, Iowa; and Salt Lake City, Utah took the No. 6 through 10 spots, respectively.

"When considering a move, people are concerned about finding a job in their field, earning enough to afford a home, sending their kids to good schools, and feeling like a part of their community," said Kim Castro, Executive Editor at U.S. News & World Report. "The Best Places to Live ranking takes all of that into account; the metro areas that do well are the ones with strong job markets and high quality of life."

Many metros made strides in this year’s rankings, including Boston, which jumped from No. 30 to No. 8, and Salt Lake City, which rose from No. 27 to No. 10. Three other metro areas—Hartford, Connecticut; Syracuse, New York; and Milwaukee—jumped more than 20 spots since their 2016 ranking.

The Best Places to Live list arrived on the back of Zillow’s recent hottest market predictions, which also listed Salt Lake City and Denver in its rankings. In fact, according to Zillow, Salt Lake City will likely grow by at least 4 percent over the course of 2017.

The Best Places to Live list is determined through public surveys; data from the U.S. Census, FBI, and Bureau of Labor Statistics; and U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools and Best Hospitals rankings. To view the entire list, visit RealEstate.USNews.com.