Best U.S. Cities To Live: One Lamorinda Town Makes List

LAMORINDA, CA — Orinda was recently was named one of the best U.S. cities in which to live, according to a new ranking by 24/7 Wall St.

The list, released Tuesday by the financial news website, ranks the top 50 cities in states throughout the United States. To determine which cities made the list, 24/7 Wall St. ranked each one using more than two dozen metrics related to affordability, economy, standard of living and community attributes such as access to public transportation, cultural amenities and crime rates.

Orinda is considered the 28th best place to live in the United States, according to the ranking. With a population of just under 20,000, Orinda was singled out because the average income is $210,288 a year, more than three times as much as the typical American household. "Wealthier areas typically have highly educated populations, and in Orinda, 83.1% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to just 31.5% of adults nationwide.," the study also noted.

The list, according to 24/7 Wall St., favors cities with conditions and amenities that have almost universal appeal. These include short commute times, walkability, reliable public transit, affordability, job availability, entertainment options, cultural attractions, low crime rates, and access to places such as grocery stores and hospitals.

Although many of the cities and towns on the list are relatively wealthy, 24/7 Wall St. did not use household income in developing the index.

A majority of the cities on the list have also seen population growth in the last five years, a signal that an area or city is attractive to new residents, the ranking says.

These are the top 10 best cities to live, according to this year’s list:

1. Manhattan Beach, California
2. Winnetka, Illinois
3. Hanover, New Hampshire
4. Highland Park, Texas
5. Piedmont, California
6. Paradise Valley, Arizona
7. Solana Beach, California
8. Newport Beach, California
9. Mercer Island, Washington
10. Greenwood Village, Colorado

See the full list of 50 best U.S. cities to live and read more about the ranking’s methodology on 24/7 Wall St.’s website.