In a U.S. News & World Report study, the D.C. region ranks fourth on the list of best places to live. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)Washington ranks as the fourth-best place to live among big U.S. metropolitan areas, according to a new report.
U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday put out its list “2017 Best Places to Live” in the country. It ranks 100 large-scale metropolitan areas, considering factors such as quality of life, job prospects and affordability.
The top three slots went to Austin, which bumped Denver into second place; and San Jose, which came in third. Fayetteville, Ark., which is about 30 miles from Bentonville, the home of Walmart, was fifth.
Kim Castro, executive editor at U.S. News, said in a statement that among the top things people consider when moving are the following: finding a job in their field, getting involved in their community, good schools for their kids and making enough money to buy a home (in no particular order).
[From 2015: D.C. ranks No. 6 on list of the nation’s sweatiest cities]
Castro said the ranking of the best places to live “takes all of that into account — the metro areas that do well are the ones with strong job markets and high quality of life.”
For the D.C. area, the report says the experience as a resident varies depending on their neighborhood.
The report said “each neighborhood in the District and its surrounding towns has its own atmosphere.
“Residents gather for block parties, mingle at dog parks and converse at coffee shops, creating an ambiance similar to that of a much smaller community.”
D.C. ranks as the nation’s fourth-best place to live among 100 big metro areas ranked by U.S. News & World Report. (Ron Edmonds/AP)
The study gave the D.C. region a score of 7.3 out of 10. And it said the average monthly rent is $1,498 and the average annual salary is $65,910.
[D.C.’s Metro is the No. 1 transit system in the nation. Yes, you read that right.]
The report also highlights the D.C. area’s transit system for being extensive and its supply of restaurants and entertainment and cultural spots. A few other upsides to the D.C. region, the report said, include that the region’s “surrounding communities are clean, and there are plenty of public parks.”
Some of the data and factors for the ranking come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The top 10 list also included:
6. Seattle
7. Raleigh/Durham, N.C.
8. Boston
9. Des Moines
10. Salt Lake City
For a complete list of all the 100 cities that were ranked, click here.
