Best Cities To Live In America: Peninsula Metros Make The List

PENINSULA, CA — It’s always nice to receive a little positive recognition.

The financial news and opinion site 24/7 Wall St. recently released its “America’s 50 Best Cities To Live” rankings for 2020, and two Peninsula cities took home a spot on the list.

Here are the Peninsula cities that are included in the rankings:

Burlingame, CA (Highest Ranked)

• Ranking: 11
• Population: 30,459
• Five-year population change: +4.2%
• Median household income: $122,999
• Five-year average unemployment rate: 4.8%

"A relatively wealthy area, Burlingame’s median household income of $122,999 is more than double the national median of $60,293. The city’s high incomes correspond with a healthy job market, as an average of just 4.8% of area workers were unemployed in the last five years, well below the 5.9% national unemployment rate," 24/7 Wall St. writes in their listing.

"Area residents have plenty of options for outdoor recreation, as the city boasts 18 separate parks, playgrounds, and sports fields. The city also has a higher than average per capita concentration of restaurants, hotels, gyms, and sports clubs."

Palo Alto, CA (Next Highest Ranked)

• Ranking: 21
• Population: 67,019
• Five-year population change: +2.7%
• Median household income: $157,120
• Five-year average unemployment rate: 3.5%

"Though the cost of living in the area is relatively high, the typical household in Palo Alto has an income of $157,120, well more than double the national median of $60,293," 24/7 Wall St. writes. "Palo Alto residents are also far less likely than the typical American to be out of a job. An average of just 3.5% of the area’s workforce was out of work over the last five years, well below the national average of 5.9%."

"Like many other cities with good job markets and high incomes, Palo Alto is relatively safe. There were just 106.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the city in 2018, less than one third the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000."

Manhattan Beach, California, ranked as the best city in the nation to live in, according to 24/7 Wall St., followed by Winnetka, Illinois, and Hanover, New Hampshire.

“It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfect city or town, and that many of the attributes one may look for in a community are subjective and not quantifiable,” authors of the 24/7 Wall St. rankings wrote. “This list favors areas with conditions that have almost universal appeal, however.”

To identify the best U.S. cities to live in, the financial news site created an index of 25 measures across four main categories: affordability, economy, quality of life and community.

Data pertaining to these categories was then pulled from multiple sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The full methodology for the rankings is available at 24/7 Wall St.

Here are the top 10 U.S. cities to live in:

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