Rockville Ranks Among 'Top 100 Best Places to Live,' Livability Study Says

PHOTO: Rockville Town Square photo from Patch archive

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Rockville ranks high among the “Top 100 Best Places to Live,” according to a new study by Livability out Monday.

So how did Rockville rank? The city came in at No. 17 on the list, sandwiched between Rapid City, SD, and Ashland, OR. It’s tech economy drew praise, along with local shops and restaurants around the Town Square.

The website says of the city: “The quaint character and excellent schools found in Rockville appeal to the many prospects moving here to join innovative biomed and technology companies that lead the local economy. Rockville’s Town Square area features more than 50 shops and restaurants, which helped it land on our list of the Top 10 Foodie Cities. The city’s festivals and large library also play a big part in why Rockville is a Top 100 Best Place to Live.

Other DC metro and Virginia places that made the list:

• Arlington: #49
• Alexandria: #56
• Charlottesville: #21
• Fredericksburg: #92
• Bethesda: #100

Livability ranked more than 2,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 350,000 to come up with their third annual Top 100 Best Places to Live. The #1 ranked town was Rochester, MN, home to the Mayo Clinic. The study said Rochester’s “diverse range of affordable housing” helped push it to the top spot.

SEE ALSO:

• Rockville Makes List of 10 Best Cities for Families
• Rockville Lands on 10 Best Foodie Cities List
• Bethesda and Rockville Among 10 “Snobbiest Small Cities in America”
• Rockville Named to America’s Most Educated Town List
• Montgomery Ranked Healthiest County in Maryland: Report

The list is based on more than 40 data points. This year they collaborated with urbanist Richard Florida and assistant clinical professor Steven Pedigo from the Initiative for Creativity and Innovation in Cities at NYU School of Professional Studies, EMSI and a board of advisors in shaping their methodology on how they rank the cities and counties.

Here’s more of what Livability had to say about Rockville:

“Rockville is a town that benefits from proximity to larger cities, as well as its own and surrounding natural amenities. It scored well for amenities including a challenging and hilly golf course, and for social and civic capital owing to an involved community and very low crime rate.

Rockville is the seat of Montgomery County, perennially one of the wealthiest in the United States. But … the city is investing in more affordable housing and is typically more affordable than surrounding areas. Two metro stations in the city and two more nearby connect commuters to Washington, D.C., and bring city-dwellers out to the businesses in Rockville.”