14 VA Places Among Top 100 Best To Live In U.S.: New Report

VIRGINIA — Fourteen Virginia communities were named in the top 100 nationally of the 2023 Best Places to Live in America, with one placing at No. 2 on the list, according to a ranking released Monday by Niche.

And Arlington was ranked No. 2 by the site among the Best Cities To Live list nationally.

The list, the ninth consecutive, ranked 228 cities and 17,932 towns and neighborhoods. To compile it, Niche used federal data from the Census Bureau, FBI, Labor Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as reviews from residents.

Among others, factors considered are affordability, the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, the quality of public schools and walkability.

Here are the Virginia communities that rank on the national Best Places To Live list:

• Colonial Village, No. 2
• Ballston/Virginia Square, No. 21
• Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, No. 23
• Innsbrook, No. 38
• Stone Ridge, No. 48
• Bluemont, No. 50
• North Rosslyn, No. 51
• Cascades, No. 76
• North Highland, No. 81
• Short Pump, No. 85
• Arlington, No. 86
• Loudoun Valley Estates, No. 89
• Franklin Farm, No. 93
• Dominion Hills, No. 94

The overall Best Place to Live in America is Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, which has claimed the title now for four consecutive years. Rounding out the top five are Colonial Village, Virginia; Ardmore, Pennsylvania; Hyde Park-Spanishtown Creek, Florida; and Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the Best City to Live in America for the first time ever, Niche said. Rounding out the top five are Arlington, Virginia; The Woodlands, Texas; Naperville, Illinois; and Columbia, Maryland.

The Best Places to Live rankings are a tool to help people find a place to live based on the qualities that matter most to them, Niche said in a news release.

People who want to dig deeper into a specific area can compare cities, suburbs and neighborhoods with specific states, metro areas and counties. Among others, Niche has specialized lists for the best places for families, young professionals, homebuyers ad retirees.

With unique ratings, honest reviews, personalized recommendations, and tools to guide you through every step, Niche is changing the way millions of people find their school and hometown.