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In Depth: America's Most Livable Cities

This article is more than 10 years old.

© John Coletti/Getty Images

To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics. We eliminated areas with populations smaller than 500,000 and assigned points to the remaining metro regions across five data sets: five-year income growth per household and cost of living from Moody's Economy.com; crime data and leisure index from Sperling's Best Places; and annual unemployment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

15. Little Rock, Ark.

Metro Area: Little Rock/North Little Rock/Conway

Metro Population: 674,000

Income Growth: 6.0% (No. 18 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 90.1 (No. 163 of 379)

Culture Index: 63 (No. 139 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 6,366 (No. 370 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.4% (No. 59 of 379)

To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

14. Peabody, Mass.

Metro Area: Peabody

Metro Population: 738,000

Income Growth: 3.4% (No. 149 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 114.5 (No. 345 of 379)

Culture Index: 96 (No. 15 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 2,405 (No. 36 of 379)

Unemployment: 7.7% (No. 95 of 379)

© Brandon Laufenberg/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

13. Madison, Wis.

Metro Area: Madison

Metro Population: 561,000

Income Growth: 2.9% (No. 193 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 97.6 (No. 254 of 379)

Culture Index: 69 (No. 115 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 3,181 (No. 119 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.1% (No. 130 of 379)

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To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

12. Harrisburg, Pa.

Metro Area: Harrisburg/Carlisle

Metro Population: 532,000

Income Growth: 2.4% (No. 252 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 89.7 (No. 157 of 379)

Culture Index: 62 (No. 143 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 2,342 (No. 30 of 379)

Unemployment: 6.7% (No. 175 of 379, tie)

© David Parsons/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

11. Denver, Colo.

Metro Area: Denver/Aurora/Broomfield

Metro Population: 2,506,000

Income Growth: 4.4% (No. 77 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 102.2 (No. 294 of 379)

Culture Index: 95 (No. 19 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 3,524 (No. 156 of 379)

Unemployment: 7.2% (No. 175 of 379, tie)

© Sharon Dominick/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

10. Pittsburgh, Pa.

Metro Area: Pittsburgh

Metro Population: 2,352,000

Income Growth: 2.2% (No. 269 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 89.2 (No. 147 of 379)

Culture Index: 90 (No. 37 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 2,548 (No. 45 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.9% (No. 48 of 379)

© Denis Jr. Tangney/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

9. Worcester, Mass.

Metro Area: Worcester

Metro Population: 787,000

Income Growth: 3.5% (No. 145 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 106.1 (No. 147 of 379)

Culture Index: 98 (No. 7 of 379, tie)

Crime per 100,000: 2,334 (No. 29 of 379)

Unemployment: 7.8% (No. 13 of 379)

© Aimin Tang/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

8. Baltimore, Md.

Metro Area: Baltimore/Towson

Metro Population: 2,682,000

Income Growth: 5.5% (No. 31 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 110.8 (No. 335 of 379)

Culture Index: 98 (No. 7 of 379, tie)

Crime per 100,000: 4,261 (No. 231 of 379)

Unemployment: 6.2% (No. 66 of 379)

© John Coletti/Getty Images



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

7. Cambridge, Mass.

Metro Area: Cambridge/Newton/Framingham

Metro Population: 1,484,000

Income Growth: 2.8% (No. 206 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 121.8 (No. 354 of 379)

Culture Index: 97 (No. 11 of 379, tie)

Crime per 100,000: 2,266 (No. 21 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.9% (No. 216 of 379)

Courtesy of the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

6. Oklahoma City, Okla.

Metro Area: Oklahoma City

Metro Population: 1,203,000

Income Growth: 5.1% (No. 41 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 90.1 (No. 163 of 379)

Culture Index: 74 (No. 98 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 4,831 (No. 287 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.6% (No. 78 of 379)

© Thomas Lecki/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

5. Tulsa, Okla.

Metro Area: Tulsa

Metro Population: 910,000

Income Growth: 4.9% (No. 50 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 90.6 (No. 171 of 379)

Culture Index: 72 (No. 105 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 4,462 (No. 250 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.6% (No. 21 of 379)

© Susan Emmetsberger/Getty Images



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

4. Stamford, Conn.

Metro Area: Bridgeport/Stamford/Norwalk

Metro Population: 897,000

Income Growth: 4.1% (No. 107 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 142.0 (No. 372 of 379)

Culture Index: 97 (No. 11 of 379, tie)

Crime per 100,000: 2,307 (No. 26 of 379)

Unemployment: 6.5% (No. 115 of 379)

Courtesy of the Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

3. Des Moines, Iowa

Metro Area: Des Moines

Metro Population: 553,000

Income Growth: 4.2% (No. 91 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 90.2 (No. 165 of 379)

Culture Index: 68 (No. 121 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 3,854 (No. 193 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.0% (No. 48 of 379)

© Bae Lee / Alamy



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. Bethesda, Md.

Metro Area: Bethesda

Metro Population: 1,171,000

Income Growth: 4.4% (No. 79 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 128.2 (No. 364 of 379)

Culture Index: 93 (No. 26 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 2,710 (No. 68 of 379)

Unemployment: 4.2% (No. 66 of 379)

© Brian Swartz/iStockphoto



To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.



Sources: Moody's Economy.com, Sperling's Best Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics

1. Portland, Maine

Metro Area: Portland/South Portland/Biddeford

Metro Population: 513,000

Income Growth: 6.3% (No. 8 of 379)

Cost of Living Index: 102.1 (No. 290 of 379)

Culture Index: 76 (No. 90 of 379)

Crime per 100,000: 2,611 (No. 55 of 379)

Unemployment: 5.9% (No. 29 of 379)