Earlier in the year, we reported the 10 most livable cities in the world according to the Economist Intelligent Unit — but no U.S. cities made the cut. So this new report decided to eliminate all the international competition.
Vocativ's "Livability Index" was designed for all of us under-35-year-olds — young, broke, single, diverse, and looking for fun — to figure out what we value most in a place to call home. Here's how they explained their process:
To reach our top 35, we started with the 100 most populous cities in America and used open-source Internet data to measure vital stats like salary and employment rates, and the cost of rent and utilities, as well as everyday concerns like public transportation, weather and crime. We also considered lifestyle metrics such as the price of dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and an ounce of high-quality weed — you know, the important stuff — as well as access to live music and sports.
You'll notice that Texan cities dominated the list — taking up nine out of 35 spots — and that's because the state has cheap rent, gas, and Wi-Fi, tons of young people, and a thriving economy.
But how did New York make it to the top, with its reputation for harshness in so many respects (i.e. weather, rent, and cab drivers)? Well, it's home to an amazing and diverse food scene (plus cheap delivery), legendary music festivals, the best public transportation system, endless neighborhoods to explore, and singles barhopping without pause. Oh, and of course, MindBodyGreen.
See if your city made the list below:
- New York, NY
- Arlington, TX
- San Francisco, CA
- Denver, CO
- Austin, TX
- Minneapolis, MN
- Seattle, WA
- St. Paul, MN
- Madison, WI
- Portland, OR
- Boise, ID
- Fort Worth, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Dallas, TX
- Lubbock, TX
- Houston, TX
- Washington, DC
- Boston, MA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Lincoln, NE
- Irving, TX
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Plano, TX
- Chicago, IL
- Henderson, NV
- San Jose, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Charlotte, NC
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Garland, TX
What do you think of the findings? Defend your city!
Emi Boscamp is the former News Editor at mindbodygreen. She received a BA in English and minors in Spanish and Art History from Cornell University. She's a writer living in Manhattan and enjoys cooking, eating, traveling, and writing about all three of those things. She loves anything pickled. And anything punny. (She's kind of a big dill.)