More than 24 million Americans In 2023, a majority of people will have moved home. RentCafe research found that most people moved because they wanted “newer or more comfortable housing”. But if you want to make a move this year and get even more out of the place you call home, then it’s time to check out the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live rankings, which promises to help people “make the most informed decisions when choosing where to settle down.”
The publication publishes a list every year of the best places to live in the U.S. based on a variety of metrics sourced from Applied Geographic Solutions and U.S. News internal resources.
The AGS website states that it uses both government and private sources to develop its core databases and specialized indexes, such as the U.S. Census Bureau. Department of Commerce. Federal Reserve. Bureau for Economic Analysis. methodology. The data are then classified into five indices: housing affordability, location desirability overall, the job market and, most importantly, the quality of life. The results are based on the percentages of a public survey conducted in February 2025, where people were asked to rank the factors that they considered most important when deciding where to live. Quality of life was ranked highest.
After all the data analysis, Brookline, Massachusetts – a charming suburb of Boston – was named as No. It ranked Brookline, Massachusetts as the No.
It explained that “the Quality of Life Index measures factors important to the overall well-being of residents, which may not have a consistent impact on their immediate day-today lives.” The publication explained that the ranking takes into account the education quality in each location, using data from U.S. News Best High Schools, as well as the availability and quality of health care based on the U.S. News Best Hospitals ranking. The Air Quality Index is also taken into account, as well as extreme weather risks, the economy of the state, and the infrastructure. All of these are excellent in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Brookline’s job market is a particular attraction. U.S. News said that the job market is better in Brookline than it is nationally. Brookline’s unemployment rate is lower than that of the national average (4.5%). The jobs here are well-paying, as the publication explains that the median income for a household in Brookline is $144,602, which is higher than the national average of $79 466.
In the United States, Bethesda (Maryland), Bellevue (Washington), and Malden (Massachusetts) are the other top places.
Make a move by looking at the complete list. realestate.usnews.com.