Mountain View Makes Top 5 List of Best Cities to Live In

24/7 Wall Street drew up a list of the 50 best cities to live in, selecting Mountain View as the third best in the nation, behind Newton, Massachusetts and Bellevue, Washington. Rounding out the Top 5 were Pleasanton, California and Evanston, Illinois.

The criteria includes crime rates, employment growth, educational attainment, and housing affordability. Here’s what 24/7 Wall Street had to say about Mountain View:

3. Mountain View, California

• Median household income: $91,422
• Unemployment rate, 2013: 5.00%
• Median home value: $749,000
• Violent crime per 100,000 residents: 204.1
• Average commuter travel time: 20.4 minutes

Mountain View scores well across many important measures. The city had low crime rates, strong-performing schools, a highly educated population, and a healthy job market. Mountain View is home to several large high-tech companies. It is also part of Santa Clara County, which includes other well-known technology centers such as Cupertino, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale.

The county also offers access to numerous amenities, including more than 3,500 restaurants and 216 gyms and fitness centers as of 2012. As of 2012, Santa Clara County had more than 3,500 restaurants and 216 gyms and fitness centers. Additionally, as of this year, residents can also watch the San Francisco 49ers at their new stadium in Santa Clara.

However, the cost of living in Mountain View -- and California, more generally -- is also quite high. Mountain View homes had a median value of nearly $750,000 in 2012, among the highest in the nation and more than double the statewide median. Residents also have to pay California’s relatively high taxes. In addition to the 7.5% California sales tax, Santa Clara has an additional 1.25% sales tax. State income tax rates are also quite high.

--Information from 24/7 Wall Street; Photo from Wikimedia Commons