What Is The Best City In America?
It's a hard question to answer, but it's one that the Resonance group has been answering for years—using lots and lots of data across three overarching categories: Livability, Lovability, and Prosperity.
Within those Big Three categories were a plethora of sub-categories: From the weather and public transportation; to cost-of-living, walkability, restaurants, and culture; and educational attainment to employment levels; and even the city's connectivity to an airport. Let's not forget about average rent prices, nightlife, universities, and even Instagram hashtags.
Needless to say, they use hundreds of data points, as well as conduct surveys, to get facts and feelings about cities across the nation. And with all that at hand, they have ranked the best cities in America for 2024.
And they are...
100: Modesto, California
Metro Population: 552,000
Livability: 96
Lovability: 102
Prosperity: 105
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 16
Labor Force Participation: 35
99: Jackson, Mississippi
Metro Population: 591,000
Livability: 92
Lovability: 89
Prosperity: 104
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 2
Average Rent: 12
Museums: 57
Restaurants: 95
98: Fresno, California
Metro Population: 1,008,000
Livability: 101
Lovability: 77
Prosperity: 85
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 17
Biking: 28
Restaurants: 51
97: Greensboro, North Carolina
Metro Population: 775,000
Livability: 99
Lovability: 68
Prosperity: 95
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 12
Average Rent: 31
Nightlife: 69
Airport Connectivity: 84
96: Riverside, California
Metro Population: 4,610,000
Livability: 102
Lovability: 79
Prosperity: 69
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 14
Job Postings: 16
Museums: 74
Universities: 34
95: Youngstown, Ohio
Metro Population: 540,000
Livability: 73
Lovability: 104
Prosperity: 110
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 1
Cost of Living: 3
Culture: 85
94: Worcester, Massachusetts
Metro Population: 976,000
Livability: 97
Lovability: 98
Prosperity: 63
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 35
Educational Attainment: 37
Universities: 37
Walkability: 37
93: Oxnard, California
Metro Population: 842,000
Livability: 95
Lovability: 105
Prosperity: 61
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 14
Internet Access: 16
92: Springfield, Massachusetts
Metro Population: 689,000
Livability: 91
Lovability: 95
Prosperity: 70
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 31
Fortune 500: 42
Educational Attainment: 57
91: Knoxville, Tennessee
Metro Population: 884,000
Livability: 98
Lovability: 47
Prosperity: 79
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 9
Labor Force Participation: 30
Culture: 31
Outdoors: 51
Restaurants: 74
90: Columbia, South Carolina
Metro Population: 832,000
Livability: 89
Lovability: 71
Prosperity: 77
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 41
Professional Sports Teams: 44
University: 48
89: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 567,000
Livability: 77
Lovability: 101
Prosperity: 102
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 8
Walk Score: 31
Setting for The Office: 1 (this wasn't taken into consideration...but it should've been)
88: McAllen, Texas
Metro Population: 873,000
Livability: 76
Lovability: 90
Prosperity: 96
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 1
Average Rent: 3
Foreign-Born Residents: 6
Anthony Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
87: Little Rock, Arkansas
Metro Population: 749,000
Livability: 87
Lovability: 64
Prosperity: 89
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 7
Cost of Living: 9
Museums: 57
Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock
86: Poughkeepsie, New York
Metro Population: 698,000
Livability: 75
Lovability: 107
Prosperity: 86
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 27
Labor Force Participation: 39
85: Birmingham, Alabama
Metro Population: 1,114,000
Livability: 88
Lovability: 67
Prosperity: 71
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 19
Average Rent: 28
Educational Attainment: 66
84: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Metro Population: 870,000
Livability: 78
Lovability: 73
Prosperity: 91
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 21
Cost of Living: 46
83: El Paso, Texas
Metro Population: 867,000
Livability: 85
Lovability: 66
Prosperity: 87
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Foreign-Born Residents: 9
Restaurants: 46
82: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Metro Population: 958,000
Livability: 93
Lovability: 106
Prosperity: 40
A Few Other Rankings:
Educational Attainment: 5
Foreign-Born Residents: 12
MrFib, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
81: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 863,000
Livability: 79
Lovability: 97
Prosperity: 64
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 15
University: 24
80: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Metro Population: 564,000
Livability: 86
Lovability: 51
Prosperity: 97
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 9
Attractions: 14
79: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Metro Population: 551,000
Livability: 74
Lovability: 92
Prosperity: 72
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 22
Attractions: 22
Cost of Rent: 43
78: Greenville, South Carolina
Metro Population: 931,000
Livability: 84
Lovability: 55
Prosperity: 78
A Few Other Rankings:
Labor Force Participation: 32
University: 38
77: Pensacola, Florida
Metro Population: 510,000
Livability: 71
Lovability: 62
Prosperity: 100
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 24
Labor Force Participation: 42
Sights & Landmarks: 74
Culture: 48
76: Syracuse, New York
Metro Population: 659,000
Livability: 66
Lovability: 84
Prosperity: 92
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 23
University: 32
Culture: 74
75: Ogden, Utah
Metro Population: 697,000
Livability: 64
Lovability: 100
Prosperity: 83
A Few Other Rankings:
Internet Access: 7
Walk Score: 60
74: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Metro Population: 1,798,000
Livability: 82
Lovability: 59
Prosperity: 57
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 18
TripAdvisor Reviews: 29
73: Spokane, WA
Metro Population: 585,000
Livability: 56
Lovability: 61
Prosperity: 98
A Few Other Rankings:
Labor Force Participation: 31
Average Rent: 38
72: Memphis, Tennessee
Metro Population: 1,336,000
Livability: 80
Lovability: 39
Prosperity: 76
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Museums: 26
TripAdvisor Reviews: 27
Instagram Hashtags: 30
Fortune 500: 33
71: Toledo, Ohio
Metro Population: 645,000
Livability: 50
Lovability: 81
Prosperity: 93
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 5
Cost of Living: 12
Museums: 74
Culture: 90
70: Wichita, Kansas
Metro Population: 645,000
Livability: 51
Lovability: 75
Prosperity: 84
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 2
Cost of Living: 12
Museums: 49
69: Durham, North Carolina
Metro Population: 648,000
Livability: 90
Lovability: 76
Prosperity: 29
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 5
Educational Attainment: 7
Cost of Living: 47
68: Dayton, Ohio
Metro Population: 813,000
Livability: 47
Lovability: 80
Prosperity: 94
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 9
Cost of Living: 12
Nightlife: 65
Museums: 64
Patents: 28
Patricia E. Thomas, Adobe Stock
67: Provo, Utah
Metro Population: 678,000
Livability: 49
Lovability: 99
Prosperity: 74
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 20
Internet Access: 25
University: 45
66: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Metro Population: 755,000
Livability: 70
Lovability: 54
Prosperity: 62
A Few Other Rankings:
Internet Access: 4
Attractions: 16
65: Jacksonville, Florida
Metro Population: 1,614,000
Livability: 83
Lovability: 46
Prosperity: 51
A Few Other Rankings:
Facebook Check-ins: 26
Outdoors: 27
Fortune 500: 28
Felix Mizioznikov, Adobe Stock
64: Hartford, CT
Metro Population: 1,216,000
Livability: 72
Lovability: 93
Prosperity: 38
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 15
Educational Attainment: 17
63: Akron, Ohio
Metro Population: 701,000
Livability: 45
Lovability: 87
Prosperity: 73
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Average Rent: 12
Patents: 24
Fortune 500: 42
62: Lexington, Kentucky
Metro Population: 516,000
Livability: 58
Lovability: 60
Prosperity: 56
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 24
Educational Attainment: 27
Culture: 56
Shopping: 56
Cost of Living: 28
Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock
61: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Metro Population: 1,018,000
Livability: 53
Lovability: 57
Prosperity: 66
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Average Rent: 19
60: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 593,000
Livability: 40
Lovability: 94
Prosperity: 75
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 13
Average Rent: 20
Educational Attainment: 52
Fortune 500: 51
59: Albany, New York
Metro Population: 902,000
Livability: 42
Lovability: 83
Prosperity: 65
A Few Other Rankings:
Educational Attainment: 18
Biking: 20
Walk Score: 22
Airport: 62
58: Providence, Rhode Island
Metro Population: 1,671,000
Livability: 63
Lovability: 70
Prosperity: 42
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 6
Walk Score: 8
Sights & Landmarks: 39
57: New Haven, Connecticut
Metro Population: 866,000
Livability: 62
Lovability: 91
Prosperity: 35
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 3
Walk Score: 13
Biking: 15
Educational Attainment: 31
56: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 553,000
Livability: 36
Lovability: 63
Prosperity: 88
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 4
Average Rent: 25
Shopping: 31
Culture: 31
55: Des Moines, Iowa
Metro Population: 711,000
Livability: 52
Lovability: 65
Prosperity: 50
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 10
Cost of Living: 35
Nightlife: 49
Restaurants: 68
Educational Attainment: 36
Grindstone Media Grp, Adobe Stock
54: Lansing, Michigan
Metro Population: 539,000
Livability: 34
Lovability: 96
Prosperity: 67
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Average Rent: 6
Fortune 500: 42
University: 29
53: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Metro Population: 1,429,000
Livability: 60
Lovability: 50
Prosperity: 46
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 12
Average Rent: 15
Outdoors: 59
Nicholas J. Klein, Adobe Stock
52: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Metro Population: 1,087,000
Livability: 44
Lovability: 69
Prosperity: 55
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 4
Walk Score: 37
Fortune 500: 42
51: Louisville, Kentucky
Metro Population: 1,283,000
Livability: 65
Lovability: 45
Prosperity: 47
A Few Other Rankings:
Convention Center: 7
Average Rent: 16
Restaurants: 36
Attractions: 35
Grindstone Media Grp, Adobe Stock
50: Richmond, Virginia
Metro Population: 1,316,000
Livability: 55
Lovability: 52
Prosperity: 44
A Few Other Rankings:
Fortune 500: 21
Educational Attainment: 23
Sights & Landmarks: 29
Outdoors: 41
49: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Metro Population: 916,000
Livability: 48
Lovability: 43
Prosperity: 60
A Few Other Rankings:
Shopping: 16
Culture: 16
Restaurants: 52
48: Rochester, New York
Metro Population: 1,087,000
Livability: 35
Lovability: 58
Prosperity: 59
A Few Other Rankings:
Patents: 14
University: 24
Educational Attainment: 35
47: Sacramento, California
Metro Population: 2,395,000
Livability: 57
Lovability: 44
Prosperity: 45
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 13
University: 13
Convention Center: 46
46: Omaha, Nebraska
Metro Population: 967,000
Livability: 46
Lovability: 53
Prosperity: 48
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 13
Nightlife: 27
Fortune 500: 28
45: Boise, Idaho
Metro Population: 772,000
Livability: 37
Lovability: 74
Prosperity: 49
A Few Other Rankings:
Patents: 9
Internet Access: 12
Biking: 22
Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock
44: Kansas City, Missouri
Metro Population: 2,191,000
Livability: 69
Lovability: 33
Prosperity: 37
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 12
Professional Sports Teams: 17
Professional Services: 26
43: Indianapolis, Indiana
Metro Population: 2,110,000
Livability: 67
Lovability: 37
Prosperity: 33
A Few Other Rankings:
Patents: 20
Attractions: 22
42: Cincinnati, Ohio
Metro Population: 2,254,000
Livability: 61
Lovability: 36
Prosperity: 34
A Few Other Rankings:
Patents: 15
Professional Sports Teams: 17
Convention Center: 19
Nightlife: 30
41: Buffalo, New York
Metro Population: 1,163,000
Livability: 23
Lovability: 49
Prosperity: 82
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 9
Average Rent: 11
40: Cleveland, Ohio
Metro Population: 2,080,000
Livability: 43
Lovability: 42
Prosperity: 36
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 17
Patents: 17
Restaurants: 34
39: Madison, Wisconsin
Metro Population: 679,000
Livability: 30
Lovability: 56
Prosperity: 39
A Few Other Rankings:
Educational Attainment: 8
Biking: 15
University: 21
38: Raleigh, North Carolina
Metro Population: 1,421,000
Livability: 59
Lovability: 35
Prosperity: 24
A Few Other Rankings:
Educational Attainment: 6
Internet Access: 14
Cost of Living: 28
Sights & Landmarks: 39
37: Tucson, Arizona
Metro Population: 1,042,000
Livability: 26
Lovability: 34
Prosperity: 68
A Few Other Rankings:
Museums: 14
Outdoors: 15
Restaurants: 48
Culture: 16
36: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Metro Population: 1,569,000
Livability: 32
Lovability: 41
Prosperity: 43
A Few Other Rankings:
Average Rent: 14
Fortune 500: 24
35: Portland, Maine
Metro Population: 553,000
Livability: 28
Lovability: 32
Prosperity: 58
A Few Other Rankings:
Culture: 9
Shopping: 9
Educational Attainment: 12
Outdoors: 16
34: Columbus, Ohio
Metro Population: 2,137,000
Livability: 38
Lovability: 40
Prosperity: 31
A Few Other Rankings:
Cost of Living: 19
Internet Access: 20
University: 25
Nicholas J. Klein, Adobe Stock
33: Baltimore, Maryland
Metro Population: 2,840,000
Livability: 54
Lovability: 28
Prosperity: 25
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 6
Sights & Landmarks: 11
Museums: 15
Nathaniel Gonzales, Adobe Stock
32: San Antonio, Texas
Metro Population: 2,571,000
Livability: 39
Lovability: 24
Prosperity: 41
A Few Other Rankings:
Attractions: 6
Restaurants: 14
31: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 2,366,000
Livability: 31
Lovability: 30
Prosperity: 32
A Few Other Rankings:
Fortune 500: 15
University: 16
Walkability: 24
30: Charlotte, North Carolina
Metro Population: 2,669,000
Livability: 68
Lovability: 27
Prosperity: 20
A Few Other Rankings:
Airport Connectivity: 7
Professional Sports Teams: 17
Fortune 500: 18
Grindstone Media Grp, Adobe Stock
29: Honolulu, Hawaii
Metro Population: 1,010,000
Livability: 24
Lovability: 25
Prosperity: 54
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 1
Culture: 8
28: Charleston, South Carolina
Metro Population: 803,000
Livability: 29
Lovability: 22
Prosperity: 53
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 7
Museums: 11
27: Detroit, Michigan
Metro Population: 4,376,000
Livability: 33
Lovability: 31
Prosperity: 23
A Few Other Rankings:
Convention Center: 8
Patents: 11
Culture: 44
26: San José, California
Metro Population: 1,982,000
Livability: 81
Lovability: 48
Prosperity: 10
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 1
Educational Attainment: 1
Patents: 2
25: St Louis, Missouri
Metro Population: 2,814,000
Livability: 22
Lovability: 26
Prosperity: 30
A Few Other Rankings:
Facebook Check-ins: 9
Convention Center: 17
Nightlife: 19
Walkability: 19
Carlos Santa Maria, Adobe Stock
24: Salt Lake City, Utah
Metro Population: 1,255,000
Livability: 19
Lovability: 38
Prosperity: 27
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 3
Internet Access: 9
23: Tampa, Florida
Metro Population: 3,194,000
Livability: 21
Lovability: 23
Prosperity: 26
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 13
Attractions: 15
Restaurants: 26
22: Nashville, Tennessee
Metro Population: 1,991,000
Livability: 41
Lovability: 16
Prosperity: 22
A Few Other Rankings:
Nightlife: 10
Shopping: 13
21: Phoenix, Arizona
Metro Population: 4,864,000
Livability: 27
Lovability: 21
Prosperity: 19
A Few Other Rankings:
Job Postings: 12
Professional Services: 13
Restaurants: 15
20: Portland, Oregon
Metro Population: 2,505,000
Livability: 16
Lovability: 20
Prosperity: 28
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 1
Culture: 9
Nightlife: 11
Shopping: 9
19: New Orleans, Louisiana
Metro Population: 1,264,000
Livability: 17
Lovability: 12
Prosperity: 52
A Few Other Rankings:
Shopping: 2
Culture: 2
Museums: 3
Labor Force Participation: 35
18: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Metro Population: 3,678,000
Livability: 13
Lovability: 29
Prosperity: 21
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 1
Professional Sports Teams: 6
Educational Attainment: 13
17: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Metro Population: 6,233,000
Livability: 18
Lovability: 19
Prosperity: 17
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 4
Restaurants: 6
Sights & Landmarks: 7
16: Dallas, Texas
Metro Population: 7,673,000
Livability: 25
Lovability: 18
Prosperity: 4
A Few Other Rankings:
Airport Connectivity: 1
Fortune 500: 5
Convention Center: 12
Culture: 26
15: Austin, Texas
Metro Population: 2,296,000
Livability: 11
Lovability: 17
Prosperity: 12
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors:8
Nightlife: 8
University: 20
14: Denver, Colorado
Metro Population: 2,959,000
Livability: 10
Lovability: 15
Prosperity: 14
A Few Other Rankings:
Biking: 4
Airport Connectivity: 5
Fortune 500: 15
13: Atlanta, Georgia
Metro Population: 6,095,000
Livability: 20
Lovability: 13
Prosperity: 8
A Few Other Rankings:
Airport Connectivity: 4
Instagram Hashtags: 5
Professional Services: 8
Fortune 500: 8
12: Orlando, Florida
Metro Population: 2,679,000
Livability: 14
Lovability: 7
Prosperity: 15
A Few Other Rankings:
Attractions: 2
TripAdvisor Reviews: 3
11: San Diego, California
Metro Population: 3,290,000
Livability: 8
Lovability: 8
Prosperity: 18
A Few Other Rankings:
Outdoors: 2
Internet Access: 2
Patents: 4
Crown Point Design, Adobe Stock
10: Houston, Texas
Metro Population: 7,143,000
Livability: 15
Lovability: 4
Prosperity: 5
A Few Other Rankings:
Fortune 500: 3
Patents: 3
Culture: 21
Restaurants: 4
9: Seattle, Washington
Metro Population: 4,002,000
Livability: 5
Lovability: 11
Prosperity: 13
A Few Other Rankings:
Internet Access: 3
Shopping: 6
University: 22
Fortune 500: 11
8: Washington, District Of Columbia
Metro Population: 6,346,000
Livability: 9
Lovability: 10
Prosperity: 9
A Few Other Rankings:
Educational Attainment: 3
Professional Services: 3
7: Boston, Massachusetts
Metro Population: 4,912,000
Livability: 12
Lovability: 9
Prosperity: 7
A Few Other Rankings:
University: 1
Walk Score: 3
Restaurants: 11
6: San Francisco, California
Metro Population: 4,692,000
Livability: 4
Lovability: 6
Prosperity: 6
A Few Other Rankings:
Walk Score: 1
Sights & Landmarks: 2
Fortune 500: 6
5: Las Vegas, Nevada
Metro Population: 2,266,000
Livability: 7
Lovability: 2
Prosperity: 16
A Few Other Rankings:
Attractions: 1
TripAdvisor Reviews: 2
Restaurants: 9
4: Miami, Florida
Metro Population: 6,124,000
Livability: 3
Lovability: 5
Prosperity: 11
A Few Other Rankings:
Foreign-Born Residents: 1
Instagram Hashtags: 2
Outdoors: 3
Professional Services: 4
Job Postings: 9
3: Los Angeles, California
Metro Population: 13,112,000
Livability: 6
Lovability: 3
Prosperity: 2
A Few Other Rankings:
Restaurants: 1
Museums: 2
Newport Coast Media, Adobe Stock
2: Chicago, Illinois
Metro Population: 9,567,000
Livability: 2
Lovability: 4
Prosperity: 3
A Few Other Rankings:
Convention Center: 1
Nightlife: 2
Restaurants: 3
1: New York, New York
Metro Population: 19,909,000
Livability: 1
Lovability: 1
Prosperity: 1
A Few Other Rankings:
Sights & Landmarks: 1
Shopping: 1
Museums: 1
