Best Places To Live, Eat, Play In MA: 2023 Recap

MASSACHUSETTS — Some of the best places to live in the country are towns and cities in Massachusetts, according to a handful of national rankings released in 2023 that look at quality of life indicators.

Great communities have excellent schools, high-quality health care and good career opportunities, but also great places to eat and play.

Publications such as U.S. News & World Report and Fortune, along with the ratings and review site Niche, used different methodologies to compile their lists. Read more about why Massachusetts cities and towns were mentioned in these rankings:

• 3 MA Cities Among Best Places To Live By U.S. News
• Cambridge Ranked No. 1 Place For Families To Live: Fortune
• 4 MA Communities Ranked Among 2023 Best Places To Live In America
• 12 MA Places Among Top 100 Best To Live In U.S.: Niche

The Milken Institute looked at how big and large cities in Massachusetts are performing in a changing economy. Read more:

• Barnstable Ranks In Top 75 On Best-Performing Index

Desirable places to live also have a diverse collection of restaurants to celebrate big moments with families and loved ones. One measure of Massachusetts’s culinary greatness is the number of James Beard winners in 2023. Read more:

• 12 MA Restaurants, Chefs Named James Beard Award Semifinalists In 2023

Several Massachusetts eateries were featured prominently in other lists. Read more:

• Somerville's Lehrhaus Among Best New Eateries In America: New List
• 5 MA Restaurants Among The Top 100 In U.S., New Ranking Says

Reliable travel services add to the quality of life in Massachusetts. A pair of rankings looked at airport quality. Read more:

• Where Does Logan Airport Rank For Reliability, Value And Convenience?
• Logan Airport Ranked Among Worst In North America By JD Power