Rockville and Bethesda Make Top 100 Places to Live in America List
So where’s the best place to live in the country?
According to a new list released today by Livability.com, that would be Rochester, Minnesota. But you will find two places from Montgomery County on this popular list, too.
The city of Rockville is ranked number 17 and Bethesda just made the list coming in at number 100. The city of Rockville was applauded for its Town Square, festivals and large library while Bethesda was noted for its highly educated and wealthy residents, Congressional Country Club, and the number of corporate and government employers that call Bethesda home.
According to a news release, the “best places to live” list is a result of months-long research into what factors most influence the livability of America’s small to mid-sized cities.
“Each of these cities is a great place to live,” says Matt Carmichael, editor of Livability.com. “Not every city is perfect for everyone, of course, but these are the top 5 percent, and somewhere in the Top 100, you’ll find a great fit to call your best place.”
More than 2,100 cities (with populations between 20,000 and 350,000) were evaluated in this landmark study, which analyzed more than 40 data points that were then grouped into eight categories: economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education, and health care. The eight scores were weighted based on an exclusive survey conducted for Livability.com by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading global market research firm. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as the factors they would consider in selecting another city. Sources included the best public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Walk Score, GreatSchools.com and Esri.
The research team was supported by an advisory board of the leading academics, authors, policy makers and practitioners in the places space.
“This is a great time to study livability,” Carmichael says. “Cities large and small are renewing their focus on improving the day-to-day lives of residents through better transportation, more vibrant downtowns, affordability and accessibility for a range of residents. As a site that covers these issues each day, we take special pride in recognizing the cities that are achieving these goals as the best of the best.”
You can find out more about the top 100 cities by visiting Livability.com.
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