14 FL Cities Ranked Among Best Places To Live: U.S. News

FLORIDA — Fourteen Florida cities are among the 2023-2024 Best Places to Live in the country, according to a ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News and World Report.

The new list evaluates the 150 biggest U.S. metropolitan areas based on value, competitiveness of the job market and quality of life.

These two Sunshine State communities were ranked in the top 10:

Sarasota was No. 5 this year, up from No. 9 last year. And Naples was No. 6, up from No. 12 in 2022.

Other Florida cities on the list are:

• No. 15 Melbourne
• No. 16 Jacksonville
• No. 24 Tampa
• No. 28 Pensacola
• No. 49 Daytona Beach
• No. 52 Orlando
• No. 60 Tallahassee
• No. 63 Port St. Lucie
• No. 67 Ocala
• No. 91 Fort Myers
• No. 105 Lakeland
• No. 138 Miami

U.S. News had this to say about Sarasota's charms: "Sarasota has a distinct vibe that’s different from Florida’s relative coastal cities, with its own vibrant arts scene, beachy atmosphere and burgeoning food culture. ... This metro area of just over 800,000 people has a renowned opera house, a number of rooftop bars and the popular beach of Siesta Key. What makes the region special is its duality — downtown Sarasota boasts resorts and fine dining, but strolling Siesta Key Village or St. Armands Circle offers a more intimate, seaside ambience.

There was once a time when Sarasota was dismissed as a playground for retirees, but that reputation is slowly changing as more young professionals begin to make it their own. One of the city’s up-and-coming neighborhoods is the Rosemary District, where eclectic murals decorate storefronts and modern condominiums and hotels sit near casual breakfast cafes," U.S. News said on Sarasota's ranking page.

Rankers noted Naples as a preferred retirement spot for the rich, powerful snowbirds. "The greater Naples and Marco Island area supplies pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping. ... Although geared more toward the older demographic that tends to settle in the Naples and Marco Island area, the two beachside communities are located just more than a two-hour drive from bustling cities including Tampa and Miami.

"But proximity to the beach, loads of sunshine and no state income tax come with drawbacks. Continued growth and development are exacerbating a lack of affordable homes, especially in the greater Naples and Marco Island area. And traffic, although nowhere near the levels seen in larger Florida metro areas, tends to choke roadways in the urban area during the winter months," U.S. News said of Naples' ranking.

This year, Green Bay, Wisconsin, moved up two positions in the ranking to No. 1, due to its strong value and quality of life scores. Huntsville, Alabama, moved down to No. 2. At No. 8, Charlotte, North Carolina, moved up 20 spots, and No. 6 Naples, Florida, re-entered the Top 10 after falling off last year.
1. Green Bay, Wisconsin (No. 3 last year)
2. Huntsville, Alabama (No. 1 last year)
3. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (No. 6 last year)
4. Boulder, Colorado (No. 4 last year)
5. Sarasota, Florida (No. 9 last year)
6. Naples, Florida (No. 12 last year)
7. Portland, Maine (No. 8 last year)
8. Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 30 last year)
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado (No. 2 last year)
10. Fayetteville, Arkansas (No. 7 last year)

For the first time this year, U.S. News added methodology to measure a place’s strengths and weaknesses. The desirability index takes into consideration the number of days a year the temperature falls from 33 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit, and an establishment-to-population ratio, which assesses the number of restaurants, bars and activities per 1,000 people.

Also this year, U.S. News moved its net migration category to the desirability index. And the value index, which previously focused only on housing affordability, now includes price parity — a U.S. Census data point on the general cost of goods within an area.

“This year’s rankings are a reflection of the current economic, social and natural factors that impact a place’s livability for its residents,” Devon Thorsby, real estate editor at U.S. News, said in a press release.

“People are considering more than housing when they look at an area’s affordability — they want to know how much goods cost in that area,” Thorsby said. “The ever-present risk for severe weather and a community’s ability to recover — coupled with the area’s opportunities for social activities — are also taken into account when evaluating a best place to live.”

This year, Green Bay, Wisconsin, moved up two positions in the ranking to No. 1, due to its strong value and quality of life scores. Huntsville, Alabama, moved down to No. 2. At No. 8, Charlotte, North Carolina, moved up 20 spots.

Some places saw double-digit drops and fell out of the top 50. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, fell a steep 81 spots this year, coming in at 113 from 32, with lower scores across the index.

Seattle, Washington, saw an increase in its job market score, but declines in its quality of life, desirability and value scores resulted in a 45-spot drop in this year's ranking. Consequently, Seattle came in at No. 81, down from No. 36 last year. Kalamazoo, Michigan, saw a sharp drop, falling 40 spots from No. 50 to No. 90. While it only slightly decreased in value, it scored on the moderate/lower end of desirability and job market.

U.S. News based its ranking on data from the National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Census Bureau, the FBI, the Labor Bureau, Sharecare, and its own rankings on the nation’s best high schools and best hospitals.