According to 24/7 Wall St (and who knows what that is):
Quote:
Here are the top 10 U.S. cities to live in:
1 Manhattan Beach, California
2 Winnetka, Illinois
3 Hanover, New Hampshire
4 Highland Park, Texas
5 Piedmont, California
6 Paradise Valley, Arizona
7 Solana Beach, California
8 Newport Beach, California
9 Mercer Island, Washington
10 Greenwood Village, Colorado
I love this because my hometown (which you’ve probably never heard of) is #1. I still own my parents’ house there and rent it out. I hope this survey helps maintain its rental value.
My current town didn’t make the Top 10. Did yours?
I just moved out of number 10 . That's very surprising to me because it certainly isn't a "city." It's a small suburb and definitely not suitable for someone who loves "city life" with walkability and things like that. I like availability of big box stores, restaurants, and plentiful parking .
I had lived there for a long time and because of that, my rent wasn't nearly as high as others who were just moving in. I would have loved to have bought in that neighborhood, but it was way out of my price range. I'm now in another suburb about 15 minutes away. The amenities I got in the actual house were much better and I cut my work commute in half. Socially, my previous location was better as it was much closer to everything.
My current area is not that bad, but is never going to be on a top-10. But my teaching salary goes a long way here.
The top 10 cities I am familiar with are VERY pricey.
Amiga, Newport Beach is so nice. I went to a lovely wedding reception there. If Manhattan Beach is even nicer, you must be making a fortune on your rental property.
Last edited by readandweep; 01-20-2020 at 12:21 PM..
I live near number 3. It's a small town, but I would never choose to live there. It is very costly, an Ivy League college town (which means lots of entitled college kids who don't even look both ways before crossing the street), and hard to find a place to park.
It does have lots of cultural activities, and it is picturesque. I do sometimes go there for theater, music, films, and lectures.
I prefer my little post-industrial village...affordable, walkable, down to earth.
Interesting list, but somewhat subjective. Did they mention the criteria they used? I know four of these towns, and I am trying to find a common factor.
I looked up all of these on the cost of living calculator because I wanted to confirm my suspicion that they all are very expensive places to live. None were listed. So they must all be a small city within a larger city. Like Highland Park is 3 miles from Dallas center.
I looked up all of these on the cost of living calculator because I wanted to confirm my suspicion that they all are very expensive places to live.
I looked up average income, and they range from $59K to $200K. The ones I know are incorporated towns. The one closest to me has a much lower income than others on the list. That's why I'm wondering about the criteria used to compile this list.
Greenwood Village is a suburb of the Denver metro area. It's surrounded by other suburbs. Not really what I think of when I think of town/city. More of a massly (word?) populated area within the overly populated Denver metro area. I'm somewhat near there, but truly prefer my rural(ish) little town away from the hustle and bustle of a major city (which I can drive to if I need to).
Look, I didn’t make it up. I posted it for fun.
cvt, you can read all the criteria/background you want.
lisa, I like my town better, too.
For cvt:
Quote:
. America’s 50 Best Cities to Live
By Samuel Stebbins January 13, 2020 8:36 pm
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Methodology:
To identify the best cities to live in, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 25 measures across four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.
1.) The affordability category consists of three measures:
The ratio of median home value to median household income at full weight.
Median property taxes paid as a percentage of median home value at one-fourth weight.
Regional price parity, a measure of cost of living, was included at full weight.
2.) The economy category consists of four measures:
Median home value was included at full weight.
Employment growth from 2014 to 2018 was included at one-half weight.
The ratio of the number of employed workers to the total population was included at one-half weight.
The unemployment rate was included at full weight.
3.) The quality of life category consists of six measures:
The poverty rate was included at full weight.
The share of the population in urban census tracts at least 1 mile from a grocery store and in rural census tracts at least 10 miles from a grocery store, a measure of poor food access, was included at full weight.
The distance from the city center to the nearest hospital was included at full weight.
The percentage of patients discharged from acute care hospitals who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days was included at full weight.
The percentage of heart attack, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke patients who pass away within 30 days of treatment was included at full weight.
The number of drug-related fatalities per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
4.) The community category consists of 12 measures:
The percentage of workers 16 and over commuting by public transit, walking, or other non-car means was included at one-half weight.
The average travel time to work was included at full weight.
The number of hospital admissions for conditions that could be treated in an outpatient setting per 1,000 Medicare enrollees — an indication of poor outpatient care and overuse of hospitals — was included at one-half weight.
The number of violent crimes — homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — reported per 100,000 residents was included at full weight.
The number of property crimes — burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson — reported per 100,000 residents was included at full weight.
The number of movie theaters per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of libraries and archives per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of theater companies and dinner theaters per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of museums per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of nature parks and similar institutions per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of alcoholic drinking places per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
The number of restaurants and other eating places per 100,000 residents was included at one-fourth weight.
Data on population, employment, unemployment, median home value, median household income, median property taxes paid, commuter characteristics, average travel time to work, and poverty came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and are five-year estimates for the period 2014 to 2018. Employment data used to calculate five-year employment growth are five-year estimates for the years 2010 to 2014. Data on cost of living came from real estate analysis company ATTOM Data Solutions and is for the year 2014.
Data on the share of the population in urban census tracts or areas at least one mile from a grocery store and in rural census tracts at least 10 miles from a grocery store, a measure of poor food access, came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2017 update to the Food Access Research Atlas and is at the county level.
Data on hospital locations came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data on 30-day readmission rates and 30-day mortality rates also came from the CMS and are for the period July 2015 to June 2018. Data was aggregated to the city level for cities with at least one hospital, and was aggregated to the county level for cities with no hospitals. Data on the number of drug related deaths per 100,000 residents per year from the period 2015 to 2017 is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is at the county level. Data on preventable hospitalizations per 1,000 Medicare enrollees came from the 2019 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and is at the county level.
Data on the number of violent crimes and property crimes reported per 100,000 residents came from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program and are for the year 2018.
Data on the number of movie theaters, libraries and archives, theater companies and dinner theaters, museums, nature parks and other similar institutions, alcoholic beverage drinking places, and restaurants and other eating places came from the Census Bureau’s 2017 County Business Patterns series and is at the county level.
To avoid geographic clustering, we only took the top-ranking city in a given county. Our list includes cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census designated places. We did not include places with fewer than 8,000 residents in our analysis. Additionally, any city or town with a poverty rate or unemployment above the national average was not considered.
By Samuel Stebbins
And
Quote:
. 10 Calif. Cities Named Among The Best Cities To Live In America
24/7 Wall St. recently released its 2020 rankings of the best cities to live in throughout the nation.
By Renee Schiavone, Patch Staff
Jan 19, 2020 3:42 pm PT
Reply (7)
7
Manhattan Beach, California, was ranked as the No. 1 city in the United States in which to live.
Manhattan Beach, California, was ranked as the No. 1 city in the United States in which to live. (Shutterstock)
It's always nice to receive a little positive recognition.
The financial news and opinion site 24/7 Wall St. recently released its "America's 50 Best Cities To Live" rankings for 2020, and 10 California cities took home a spot on the list.
Manhattan Beach ranked as the best city in the nation to live in, according to 24/7 Wall St., followed by Winnetka, Illinois, and Hanover, New Hampshire.
Here are all of the cities from the Golden State that are included in the rankings:
Manhattan Beach
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Ranking: 1
Population: 35,573
Five-year population change: +0.7%
Median household income: $150,083
Five-year average unemployment rate: 5.3%
This California beach city snagged the title of best place in the nation to live thanks to low crime and miles of ocean coast, the report states.
Piedmont
Ranking: 5
Population: 11,308
Five-year population change: +4.2%
Median household income: $210,889
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.0%
The top of several Bay Area cities to land on this list, Piedmont has "relatively low crime" and a median household income that's more than triple the national median household income, according to 24/7 Wall St.
Solana Beach
Ranking: 7
Population: 13,370
Five-year population change: +2.7%
Median household income: $105,821
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.5%
Located just about 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, this SoCal city lands on the list for the various recreation activities it offers, among other things, the report says.
Newport Beach
Ranking: 8
Population: 86,280
Five-year population change: +0.3%
Median household income: $122,709
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.4%
This iconic California city lands in the eighth slot on 24/7 Wall St.'s list for many reasons, including its access to many places for physical activities and other healthy lifestyle options.
Burlingame
Ranking: 11
Population: 30,459
Five-year population change: +4.2%
Median household income: $122,999
Five-year average unemployment rate: 4.8%
The report cites Burlingame's high median household income, close proximity to San Francisco and healthy job market among the reason's for its spot on this list.
Santa Barbara
Ranking: 17
Population: 91,325
Five-year population change: +2.5%
Median household income: $74,798
Five-year average unemployment rate: 4.1%
24/7 Wall St. points out that as this city is a popular tourist destination, residents can enjoy access to a high concentration of entertainment venues and great restaurants.
Monterey
Ranking: 18
Population: 28,512
Five-year population change: +2.1%
Median household income: $77,562
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.7%
Restaurants, golf courses and entertainment venues abound in this coastal California city, and are among the many amenities residents have access to, the report says.
Palo Alto
Ranking: 21
Population: 67,019
Five-year population change: +2.7%
Median household income: $157,120
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.5%
This Silicon Valley city is a costly place to live, but the median household income is more than double the national median, according to 24/7 Wall St.
Orinda
Ranking: 28
Population: 19,431
Five-year population change: +7.3%
Median household income: $210,288
Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.6%
Those who call Orinda home benefit from its close proximity to both San Francisco and Oakland — and a very low unemployment rate, the report states.
San Francisco
Ranking: 45
Population: 870,044
Five-year population change: +6.4%
Median household income: $104,552
Five-year average unemployment rate: 4.7%
The report cites San Francisco's access to entertainment, cultural and recreation venues among the reasons for it landing on the list.
"It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfect city or town, and that many of the attributes one may look for in a community are subjective and not quantifiable," authors of the 24/7 Wall St. rankings wrote. "This list favors areas with conditions that have almost universal appeal, however."
To identify the best U.S. cities to live in, the financial news site created an index of 25 measures across four main categories: affordability, economy, quality of life and community.
Data pertaining to these categories was then pulled from multiple sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The full methodology for the rankings is available at 24/7 Wall St.
Here are the top 10 U.S. cities to live in:
Manhattan Beach, California
Winnetka, Illinois
Hanover, New Hampshire
Highland Park, Texas
Piedmont, California
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Solana Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Mercer Island, Washington
Greenwood Village, Colorado
We just did a search to see where in the US we would make out better with taxes. Florida is number one...they tax nothing. Mississippi and Georgia are the same. I do not think I could live in Mississippi. Maybe Georgia. Florida seems so congested. Our state is number 48. Ugh. I love New England but taxes are killing us. California was 49 I think. Also taxes everything.
is very interesting not at all what I thought for median income. Good for the people who live there and enjoy the advantages. A safe neighborhood with good amentities that fit your needs is worth the search.
Just do a general search for the top 10 cities in 2020 in which to live and you will get many choices of sites listing different top 10 cities, AND they all have different criteria for rating the cities.
amiga, nobody is accusing you of making it up. I understand that you posted it in fun. I don't think you need to defend yourself by posting the long list of criteria that this kid Sam Stebbins has listed. It's easier just to put a link so people can look it up themselves if they want to.
I am by nature rather cynical, and when I see any "top 10" list that somebody made up, I always question it. There are thousands of this type of lists. I am sure that your (and my) town could be on top of someone's list for something.
Ranking: 17
Population: 91,325
Five-year population change: +2.5%
Median household income: $74,798
Five-year average unemployment rate: 4.1%
24/7 Wall St. points out that as this city is a popular tourist destination, residents can enjoy access to a high concentration of entertainment venues and great restaurants.
If you make the median income, you can't afford to live here. You either make 3 or 4 times that and can actually afford a home (or were gifted a home), or you are barely scraping by or living in poverty. Typical rent for a small 3 bd home is about 3500/month. Half of my students either live 3-4 families in a home, or in a teeny tiny apartment that is probably not even legal. The unemployment rate may be low, but you can't afford to live here as a teacher or police officer, etc. My single teacher friends all have to live with roommates in order to live here.
I guess I'm taking this list with a HUGE grain of salt!
Being a Southern Californian, I've definitely heard of all the CA cities. Regarding the two cities below, I live 45-60 minutes from them.
I've been to Manhattan Beach and my mother's long-time friend was a teacher there for numerous yrs until she retired. In July 2018, I went to that Manhattan Village and while the ambiance was nice, it was tiny. Have they renovated and added more yet? OK, looks like it won't be done until 2021 so I'll return then:
I like going to Newport Beach 1-2 times a year just to stroll Fashion Island. I really don't know any other reason personally to go to NB, but the Irvine Spectrum's gotten better and more popular since their renovation.
While in HS many years ago, we would often go to Newport Beach, CA, in the summer, mainly because my mother liked the beach. I hated it! Too many people, horrible traffic and parking, and crowded with houses on top of each other. The beach wasn't that nice, either. Lots of trash like empty suntan lotion bottles, soda cans, and food wrappers. You had to be careful where you stepped. And that whole area is even more crowded now than ever!
So my question would be, who made this list, and what were the criteria? So much depends on personal preferences! I've seen many lists like these (AARP magazine does this a lot), and the choices are usually all over the place.
I lived in Manhattan Beach in the 1980s. I would not consider it one of the top ten at all, but it was a wealthy area.
I was there during the McMartin preschool scandal. Also, someone calling himself “Sunshine” tried to break into our place.
This is a HIGHLY affluent northern suburb of Chicago along Lake Michigan. So think huge mansions. It is also about 5 miles from Northwestern University. It’s about an hour from my home.
Heck no! I can't imagine we would be in the top 10 of anything here! Then I thought, we're called the World's Most Famous Beach, so I looked up top 25 beaches and no, we're not even on that list! Maybe one of the top 10 Nascar cities!!!
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01-20-2020, 11:35 AM
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