Are you happy with your quality of life? See which Midwest cities rank the highest
It appears Des Moines is no match for several Midwest cities when it comes to quality of life, at least according to one report.
U.S. News & World Report released its Best Places to Live for Quality of Life in the U.S. list for 2023-2024 and crowned several cities in the Midwest.
Although no cities in Iowa made the list, Iowans shouldn’t feel too left out. Des Moines ranked 19 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Places to Live list.
The 25 cities on the quality of life list were judged by residents’ satisfaction with their daily lives in the metro area, crime rates, quality of education and several other factors, according to the list.
What are the best places to live near Iowa?
Ann Arbor, Michigan, took the No. 1 spot on the list, with a quality of life score of 7.9. It offers residents “rural and urban” to “outdoorsy and high-tech,” according to U.S. News, in addition to low crime rates, a diverse job market, a robust public parks system and more. It’s also the home of the University of Michigan.
Other Midwestern cities that make the list are:
Grand Rapids, Michigan, quality of life score: 7.2
Madison, Wisconsin, quality of life score: 7.4
Green Bay, Wisconsin, quality of life score: 7.3
What are the best places to live in the U.S.?
Are you looking to move beyond the Midwest? Or are you crossing your fingers for some hometown bragging rights? Here are the other cities on the list, including cities in California, New York, Florida, North Carolina and more.
Boulder, Colorado
San Jose, California
Portland, Maine
Boston, Massachusetts
Hartford, Connecticut
Rochester, New York
Trenton, New Jersey
Boise, Idaho
Washington, D.C.
Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina
Fort Collins, Colorado
Worcester, Massachusetts
Albany, New York
Naples, Florida
Syracuse, New York
Manchester, New Hampshire
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
New Haven, Connecticut
Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
Providence, Rhode Island
New York City, New York
How did these cities make the list?
U.S. News calculates quality of life scores using a weighted average, which are determined by surveying people in America to see what is more important to them. U.S. News’ quality of life index takes into account crime rates, quality of education, well-being, commute time, quality and availability of health care, air quality and an area’s risk to natural hazards. Data is pulled from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, the U.S. News Best High School rankings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA National Risk Index and more.
How close was Des Moines to making the list?
The U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Places to Live list included Iowa’s capital city. It scored 6.8 for quality of life. New York City, which received the final spot on the quality of life list had a score of 7.0.
The pros of living in Des Moines, according to U.S. News, include the cost of living, a busy downtown and some of the “nicest people you’ll ever meet,” the Des Moines Register reported last year.
Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Best places to live in the U.S. list skips Iowa, includes Midwest
