Danbury Ranks Among 'Top 100 Best Places to Live': Report

DANBURY, CT — A new survey named Danbury among the "Top 100 Best Places to Live."

The annual report by website Livability considers only cities with a population between 75,000 and 500,000, and a median home value of $500,000 or less.

Just 14 cities in the Northeast made the list, and Danbury was among the only two in Connecticut. Hat City's "LivScore" of 722 placed it at No. 73 nationally, behind Norwalk at No. 42 with a score of 761. At No. 1, 2 and 3 on the list were Johns Creek, GA; Flower Mound, TX; and Carmel, IN.

A town's "LivScore" factors eight categories: Economy, Housing & Cost of Living, Amenities, Transportation, Environment, Safety, Education, and Health. The exact percentage weights may change year to year, but this year, Amenities and Economics carried the most weight, followed by Education and Housing & Cost of Living, according to the website. A city's final score also factored in additional affordability criteria based on average rents and home prices relative to local income.

Livability's editors are de-emphasizing individual city standings this year, stressing that there is "no one-size-fits-all when it comes to finding the right place to live." Cities which may have grabbed overall high rankings as a result of strong scores in certain categories might not be the best fit for families with different wants and needs.

The list is based on more than 100 data points. This year, Livability analysts collaborated with Applied Geographic Solutions.

Danbury's highest scores were for its economy, health and safety, but the website also made special mention of the city's parks, lakes and trails. The Ives Trail Greenway, Bear Mountain Reservation, Candlewood Town Park and Lake Kenosia Park were all called out.

Although the city's transportation options scored respectably, Livability's editors figure they might not be all that crucial for Danbury joy:

"And even though it’s easy to get out of town, there’s plenty to do right at home. As a result, Danbury residents don’t have to head to neighboring New York for a fun day or night out. Instead, catch a show at either Musicals at Richter or the Palace Danbury Theatre. A love of sports is also fairly common in Danbury, and Danbury Sports Dome is the perfect place to hone your skills."

In a statement released last week, Mayor Dean Esposito expressed his pride with Danbury's showing on the 2023 roundup: "It is clear that our strong economy, high quality healthcare network, and the safe environment we’ve created for our residents is not only the envy of Connecticut, but the envy of the rest of the country."