PROVIDENCE – The capital city ranks No. 86 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2023-2024 Best Places to Live list released on Tuesday.
The report ranked the 150 most-populated metro areas in the United States. Rankings were evaluated using data from sources that include the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. News’ own internal resources. The data was categorized into five categories: quality of life index, value index, job market index, desirability index and net migration.
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Providence had an overall rating of 6.2 out of 10, scoring 7 for quality of life, 6.2 for job market, 5.8 for value, 5.6 for net migration and 5.3 for desirability.
Providence ranked No. 105 on the 2022-2023 list.
The report touted the Rhode Island state capital as “a culturally diverse metro area home to young professionals and artists, characterized by a quaint New England vibe.”
“The city has a budding economy fueled by the health care, education, tourism and financial sectors,” the report stated. “Over the past several decades, Providence has undergone a dramatic facelift following a period of industrial decline. Providence’s renaissance is now evident throughout the metro area, from the carefully restored urban landscape of downtown to the hip coffee shops and thriving community gardens of the trendy West End … Close-knit communities in the metro area’s various neighborhoods – whether it’s the artsy 20- and 30-somethings of the West Side, the families of the East Side or the students on College Hill – are just some of many reasons folks find it easy to call Providence home.”
Green Bay, Wis., was ranked the best place to live in the U.S. with an overall rating of 6.9. The Wisconsin city scored 8 for value, 7.3 for quality of life, 6.1 for job market, 5.7 for desirability and 5.6 for net migration.
Huntsville, Ala., which was No. 1 last year, was ranked No. 2 this year, followed by Raleigh and Durham, N.C.; Boulder, Col.; Sarasota, Fla.; and Naples, Fla.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, was ranked the worst place to live in the U.S. for the second consecutive year. The capital of the island territory had an overall rating of 5, scoring 6.4 for quality of life, 5.1 for desirability, 3.9 for value and 3.7 for job market. The net migration score wasn’t listed.
Portland, Maine, was ranked No. 7, the highest of all New England metro areas listed. The city had an overall rating of 6.7, scoring 7.4 for quality of life; 6.6 for net migration; 6.4 for both job market and desirability; and 6.2 for value.
Of the remaining New England metro areas on the list, Boston ranked No. 44; Manchester, N.H., ranked No. 51; Hartford, Conn., ranked No. 56; Worcester, Mass., ranked No. 77; New Haven, Conn., ranked No. 95; and Springfield, Mass., ranked No. 108.
The full report can be found here.
I’m surprised we placed that high!