The 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024

Metro Population: 364,877
Median Home Price: $228,462
Average Annual Salary: $44,470

Located in the Catawba Valley of North Carolina, Hickory is a fairly small metro area that’s benefitting from growth as a result of bigger population booms in neighboring spots like Charlotte and Asheville. If you’re looking for somewhere that’s affordable, Hickory is the place to be – it’s the most affordable place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., factoring in both housing affordability, which looks at the cost of living compared with median household income, and price parity, which examines the cost of goods and services as they compare to the rest of the U.S.

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Metro Population: 3,146,074
Median Home Price: $369,299
Average Annual Salary: $53,270

If you're looking for warm weather and ample beach access, Tampa may be the place for you. The Florida metro area ranks No. 14 for desirability, which accounts for U.S. residents' interest in living there, based on a SurveyMonkey survey of more than 3,100 people, entertainment and attraction establishments relative to the population size, weather and population growth due to net migration. A part of the Quality of Life score, Tampa also ranks No. 6 for its low rates of property crime, violent crime and murder, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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Metro Population: 354,670
Median Home Price: $518,755
Average Annual Salary: $59,120

This northern Colorado metro area ranks No. 15 for Quality of Life, which considers a wide variety of topics, including quality of education, access to quality health care, crime, air quality, general well-being and risk of and resilience to extreme weather. In particular, Fort Collins receives the 12th-highest score for college readiness among high school students, based on data from the U.S. News Best High Schools ranking.

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Metro Population: 661,106
Median Home Price: $194,758
Average Annual Salary: $57,990

Residents in the Syracuse area benefit from good air quality based on the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index, for which it ranks No. 11 on the list. The AQI measures pollutants in the air and whether they would pose a health risk to sensitive groups or the general public. When it comes to typical housing costs, Syracuse performs well, ranking No. 34 for residents needing just 21.84% of the area’s median household income for housing costs. However, price parity shows that typical goods and services are more expensive in Syracuse, for which the metro area ranks 80th.

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Metro Population: 873,816
Median Home Price: $335,283
Average Annual Salary: $49,290

Knoxville's highest score is for its affordability, ranking 10th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. Knoxville area residents spend just 21.13% of the median household income on mortgage payments or rent, property taxes and utilities. Knoxville is also seeing many people moving to the area to take advantage of the lower cost of living – Knoxville ranks No. 16 for its population growth due to net migration. From 2020 to 2021, the Knoxville area increased by 1.63% from newly moved residents alone.

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Metro Population: 1,081,665
Median Home Price: $366,979
Average Annual Salary: $52,660

If you’re looking for a more affordable place to live, the Grand Rapids metro area in western Michigan may be the right place for you. Grand Rapids-area residents spend just 20.72% of the median household income on housing expenses, including rent or mortgage payments, property taxes and utilities. Additionally, Grand Rapids high school students rank No. 27 out of the 150 metro areas on the list for college readiness among high school students.

Learn more about Grand Rapids.

Metro Population: 702,036
Median Home Price: $314,711
Average Annual Salary: $57,210

At No. 19, Des Moines is another metro area that’s particularly appealing for its low cost of living – a detail more people are weighing heavily in recent years as they look to move to a new part of the country. Des Moines-area residents spend 20.99% of the local median annual household income on housing costs. Des Moines ranks No. 55 for price parity, comparing the cost of goods and services with other metro areas. Des Moines residents who leave the house for work also benefit from having the ninth-shortest average commute out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., at just 20.6 minutes.

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Metro Population: 478,654
Median Home Price: $351,681
Average Annual Salary: $40,470

Considering where people may have the most fun, Myrtle Beach should be in consideration. Myrtle Beach is the No. 1 most desirable place to live out of the 150 metro areas on the list. Among the factors that contribute to the metro area's Most Desirable title, Myrtle Beach ranks No. 5 based on survey respondents reporting where they'd prefer to live, No. 1 for entertainment and attraction establishments relative to the population and No. 1 for population growth due to net migration. From 2020 to 2021, Myrtle Beach grew by 4.46% due to net migration alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Metro Population: 898,265
Median Home Price: $287,608
Average Annual Salary: $61,560

New York City may be the most populous metro area in the U.S., but New York’s capital offers more affordability, lower crime rates and actually has a higher-ranking job market than the Big Apple. Albany’s average monthly unemployment rate for 2022 was just 2.92%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the average annual salary, at $61,560, is above the national average of $58,260. Plus, the air quality in Albany ranks above 130 other metro areas on the Best Places to Live list, based on the EPA's Air Quality Index.

Learn more about Albany.

Metro Population: 1,581,680
Median Home Price: $348,852
Average Annual Salary: $51,910

Like many other Florida metro areas, Jacksonville is considered by many to be a desirable place to live. In the SurveyMonkey survey asking where in the U.S. respondents would prefer to live, Jacksonville ranked 16th out of the 150 metro areas on the list. For overall desirability, Jacksonville ranks 16th as well. The Jacksonville metro area’s population increased by 1.6% due to net migration between 2020 and 2021. Jacksonville residents also benefit from a low monthly average unemployment rate of just 2.6%.

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Metro Population: 601,573
Median Home Price: $217,400
Average Annual Salary: $54,360

Melbourne takes the No. 15 spot in the Best Places to Live ranking this year, largely due to the factors contributing to its overall desirability score. Melbourne ranks No. 23 for its temperate weather out of the 150 metro areas on the list, based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The Melbourne metro area also ranks 19th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for college readiness among high school students.

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Metro Population: 372,428
Median Home Price: $391,633
Average Annual Salary: $61,010

Most people recognize this metro area in Southeastern Michigan as home of the University of Michigan. Ann Arbor is the No. 1 metro area on the list for quality of life, with particularly high scores for education, resilience to extreme weather, well-being and health care. Ann Arbor ranks No. 5 for college readiness among high school students and No. 2 for low risk of and high resilience to natural disasters according to FEMA. The Southeastern Michigan metro area also receives the 13th-highest score out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for its access to quality health care based on data from the U.S. News Best Hospitals ranking.

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Metro Population: 1,995,351
Median Home Price: $1,455,741
Average Annual Salary: $99,430

Best known for its key role in the tech industry as the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose ranks as the No. 13 Best Place to Live in the U.S. Living comfortably in San Jose requires a big paycheck, but the plethora of high-paying jobs means that’s not a problem for many residents. In addition, San Jose high school students rank the highest out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for college readiness, and the metro area ranks second for overall well-being, based on the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index.

Learn more about San Jose.

Metro Population: 750,669
Median Home Price: $221,475
Average Annual Salary: $49,440

Idaho’s capital makes the list with high scores for population growth due to net migration, quality of life and housing affordability compared with median annual household income. Residents need just 23.19% of the median household income to cover rent or mortgage payments, as well as additional housing costs like property taxes and utilities. Boise ranks No. 48 for desirability as the sixth-fastest growing metro area out of the 150 metro areas on this list, but lower scores for weather temperateness and the number of establishments for residents and visitors relative to the population.

Learn more about Boise.

Metro Population: 674,506
Median Home Price: $390,950
Average Annual Salary: $59,510

Madison takes the No. 11 spot in the Best Places to Live ranking, in large part due to the metro area’s quality of life and job market scores. This Wisconsin metro area ranks 11th for job market, with an average monthly unemployment rate of 2.31% and a high average annual salary of $59,510. Madison also ranks third for quality of life overall, and 18th for residents' sense of well-being, based on the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index. The Well-Being Index surveys people across the country asking how they feel about where they live, from general happiness to sense of security and sense of community pride.

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Metro Population: 538,063
Median Home Price: $300,740
Average Annual Salary: $51,590

This fast-growing metro area in Arkansas has long been a strong contender in the Best Places to Live ranking – and this year is no different. A low cost of living compared with household income, strong population growth due to net migration and steady job market all contribute to Fayetteville’s ranking at No. 10 in 2023. Fayetteville has the eighth-lowest average monthly unemployment rate out of the 150 metro areas on the list at 2.39%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus, Fayetteville-area residents spend just 20.44% of the median household income on housing expenses.

Learn more about Fayetteville.

Metro Population: 747,343
Median Home Price: $555,072
Average Annual Salary: $57,530

Colorado Springs has long held the top spot in the SurveyMonkey desirability survey, and this year is no different. However, with the desirability ranking now including the survey results as well as information about weather temperateness, the number of establishments in the metro area and net migration, Colorado Springs falls slightly to No. 2 out of 150 in 2023-2024. Steady population growth due to net migration and a consistently strong job market help get Colorado Springs to the No. 9 spot this year, but the metro area falls from the No. 2 spot in the overall Best Places to Live ranking from last year.

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Metro Population: 2,625,282
Median Home Price: $406,169
Average Annual Salary: $57,270

Taking the No. 8 spot is the largest metro area in North Carolina, which also ranks No. 9 for desirability. Based on survey responses asking U.S. residents where they prefer to live, Charlotte ranked eighth out of the 150 places on the list. With an average of 234 sunny days throughout the year, it also ranks No. 42 for its relatively temperate weather. Between 2020 and 2021, the Charlotte metro area grew by 1% due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Metro Population: 532,075
Median Home Price: $310,300
Average Annual Salary: $52,820

The most populous metro area in Maine jumped several spots from No. 19 in 2020 due to its quality of life, fairly steady job market and growing reputation as a desirable place to live. For quality of life, factoring in college readiness among high school students, proximity to quality health care, crime, average commute time and overall well-being, Portland ranks eighth out of the 150 metro areas on the list.

Learn more about Portland.

Metro Population: 372,797
Median Home Price: $649,679
Average Annual Salary: $50,820

Located on the southern end of Florida's Gulf Coast, where the Everglades begin, Naples doesn’t attract the same number of tourists as Miami or Tampa, but many people want to move there – and plenty are doing so already. The population of Naples increased by 2.84% between 2020 and 2021 due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For overall desirability, Naples ranks fifth. Another positive is the air quality in Naples: The metro area ranks 12th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. based on its AQI score.

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Metro Population: 824,160
Median Home Price: $387,630
Average Annual Salary: $49,760

After holding the No. 9 spot for two years in a row, Sarasota rises to No. 5 for 2023-2024. Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, Sarasota is the seventh-most desirable place to live on the list. People are acting on that desire, as Sarasota is the second-fastest growing metro area out of the 150 places ranked, behind only Myrtle Beach. From 2020 to 2021, Sarasota saw a population increase of 3.55% due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Metro Population: 328,713
Median Home Price: $784,844
Average Annual Salary: $73,360

Holding its spot at No. 4 for the second year in a row, Boulder has a strong job market and gets high marks for quality of life. The metro area’s average annual salary of $73,360 is nearly $15,000 above the national average, and the average monthly unemployment rate is just 2.69%. Boulder’s high school education ranks second for college readiness, behind San Jose. Like San Jose, though, Boulder is a pricey place to live, with a cost of living that requires 27.45% of the median household income.

Learn more about Boulder.

Metro Population: 2,034,246
Median Home Price: $436,616
Average Annual Salary: $61,759

The Raleigh and Durham metro area continues to be an attractive place for people to relocate, thanks to its affordability and job market. Research, technology, education and health care are consistently growing industries in the area. The Raleigh and Durham metro area climbs from the No. 6 spot in 2022 on the overall Best Places to Live list in large part due to its high quality of life, for which it ranks No. 13. From 2020 to 2021, the Raleigh and Durham metro area grew by 1.22% due to net migration, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Metro Population: 483,366
Median Home Price: $304,290
Average Annual Salary: $61,140

After ranking No. 1 in 2022, Huntsville has been unseated as the Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024, but remains near the top thanks to its strong job market and low cost of living – a winning combination for many people looking to relocate. This northern Alabama metro area is the fourth-most affordable place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., and is home to many companies focused on science, technology, engineering and math, which contributes to a higher average annual salary for the local population.

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Metro Population: 326,590
Median Home Price: $247,092
Average Annual Salary: $51,510

New to the No. 1 spot on the Best Places to Live list this year is Green Bay. Best known as the hometown of the Packers NFL team, Green Bay is situated roughly 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Green Bay scores highest for its affordability, factoring in both the cost of living and price parity for goods and services. Green Bay residents spend just 19.92% of the median household income on housing costs. Green Bay is also No. 7 for overall quality of life, with particularly high scores for its short commute and FEMA’s assessment of low risk of and high resilience to extreme weather events.

Learn more about Green Bay.