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Nashville has been named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the most desirable cities to live in the country.
The annual “Best Places to Live in the U.S.” list highlights cities which have a strong job market and high quality of life. Music City came in at No. 50 behind Reno, Nevada, McAllen, Texas and Melbourne, Florida.
U.S. News and World Report applauded Nashville not only for its contributions to music, but also for its innovation, “blossoming” job market and “exploding” entertainment scene. Nashville obtained a 6.3 quality of life score and an overall score of 6.4. Tennessee’s capital city was also ranked as the No. 41 best city in the country to retire in.
Other Tennessee cities included in the ranking were Chattanooga (No. 27), Knoxville (No. 29) and Memphis (No. 122).
The top 20 best cities in the country to live in, according to U.S. News and World Report
- Naples, Florida
- Boise, Idaho
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Austin, Texas
- Boulder, Colorado
- Sarasora, Florida
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Asheville, NC
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
Methodology
In order to determine the best cities in the U.S. to live, U.S. News and World Report used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. News’ own internal resources.
The data was then categorized into four indexes, weighted based on a February 2024 public survey in which people from across the country voted for what they believed was the most important factor to consider when choosing where to live.
- Quality of Life Index (32%): Measured residents’ satisfaction with daily life and life-impacting factors.
- Value Index (27%): Assessed how affordably residents can live within their means.
- Desirability Index (19%): Evaluated whether people want to live in the city.
- Job Market Index (22%): Gauged the strength of the city’s job market.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana