2 Maryland Cities Are Among Money’s Best Places To Live For 2022

MARYLAND — Columbia and Rockville have been identified as among the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released this week by Money. Columbia has been ranked sixth on Money's list, while Rockville came in at 20th.

The 2022 ranking of 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. includes cities that offer the best in what matters most to residents: economic opportunities, quality of life, and diversity, according to Money. This year, researchers also set out to feature a more diverse list of cities than in past years.

“We kept returning to the question, ‘best places to live for whom?’” researchers said on Money’s website. “(Previous cities were) often quaint, affordable — and unintentionally yet overwhelmingly white. We wanted to create a more welcoming list for a broader group of people this year, so we restructured our data gathering and ranking processes to reflect that priority.”

With a population of 105,987 people, Columbia residents have a median household income of $119,845 while the city’s unemployment rate is 3.4 percent. The town was unveiled in 1967 by developer James W. Rouse, who set out to plan a community built on the principle that neighborhoods should be places with a capacity for “joyous living," Money wrote.

"Boasting a multicultural population, exceptional safety statistics and plenty of activities for families and young adults alike, it’s no wonder Columbia is the second most populated community in Maryland (and growing)," Money wrote. "Today, Columbia is Howard County’s piece de resistance, attracting families and businesses in droves. Billions of dollars are being invested in downtown Columbia, where a master plan to build 2,300 apartments, a 250-room hotel, a new central park, 314,000 sq. feet of retail and 1.5 million sq. feet of office space is currently underway."

With a population of 67,406 people, Rockville residents have a median household income of $116,496 while the city’s unemployment rate is 3.7 percent. One of its claim to fame is that back in the 1770s, Hungerford's Tavern served as a popular meeting spot for patriots during the American Revolution.

"Rockville, a diverse city according to Money's data, is business friendly and home to some of the most prominent biomedical and technology companies that call here home. And if you want to head to the nation's capital, it’s an easy trip from Rockville: The town is 15 miles north of Washington, D.C, which the area’s interstate access makes for a short drive. You can also take a train to D.C. — Rockville is right on the Metro’s red line," Money wrote.

To determine the cities on this year’s list, Money analyzed data in nine different areas: cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity, education, fun and amenities, health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finance, and quality of life.

Data was collected from several sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Read more about the methodology for Money’s Best Places To Live.

The top city on this year’s list is Atlanta, Georgia.

“This is no accident,” researchers said. “At a time when people are becoming much more introspective about their role in society, our goal this year was to name a number one where anyone can feel like they belong. And for that, Atlanta is hard to beat.”

Following Atlanta is Tempe, Arizona, at No. 2, and Kirkland, Washington, at No. 3.

See the full list of Best Places To Live.