Austin, Texas, has been named the best place to live in the United States, dethroning Denver, Colorado, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The magazine ranked America’s 100 largest metropolitan areas based on factors like affordability, job prospects and quality of life. The group used data from various government sources, as well as thousands of responses from a public survey, to come up with the rankings.
Read more: 10 cities where you can live large on a $60,000 salary or less
20 best places to live in the USA
Taking a closer look at Austin, U.S. News & World Report says it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. People are drawn to the area for its thriving music and arts scene.
The average annual salary in Austin is just below $50,000. However, a lot of your salary will go toward housing. The median home price is above the national average, more than $262,000.
Residents don’t pay personal income tax, and state and local taxes remain low.
Here are U.S. News & World Report’s top 20 places to live in 2017, plus key financial details for each metro area: average annual salary, median home price and unemployment rate.
20. Houston, Texas
- Average annual salary: $51,830
- Median home price: $197,628
- Unemployment rate: 5.1%
19. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Average annual salary: $42,950
- Median home price: $155,256
- Unemployment rate: 3.2%
18. Madison, Wisconsin
- Average annual salary: $49,030
- Median home price: $219,429
- Unemployment rate: 3.1%
17. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
- Average annual salary: $53,450
- Median home price: $223,995
- Unemployment rate: 3.5%
16. San Francisco, California
- Average annual salary: $66,900
- Median home price: $700,875
- Unemployment rate: 3.9%
15. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
- Average annual salary: $49,030
- Median home price: $210,181
- Unemployment rate: 3.8%
14. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Average annual salary: $48,370
- Median home price: $189,508
- Unemployment rate: 4.9%
13. Nashville, Tennessee
- Average annual salary: $44,700
- Median home price: $200,590
- Unemployment rate: 3.7%
12. Boise, Idaho
- Average annual salary: $42,180
- Median home price: $228,567
- Unemployment rate: 3.7%
11. Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Average annual salary: $47,600
- Median home price: $228,431
- Unemployment rate: 3.9%
10. Salt Lake City, Utah
- Average annual salary: $44,752
- Median home price: $247,052
- Unemployment rate: 3.3%
9. Des Moines, Iowa
- Average annual salary: $47,170
- Median home price: $168,629
- Unemployment rate: 3.6%
8. Boston, Massachusetts
- Average annual salary: $62,070
- Median home price: $321,436
- Unemployment rate: 3.5%
7. Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina
- Average annual salary: $51,150
- Median home price: $219,466
- Unemployment rate: 4.4%
6. Seattle, Washington
- Average annual salary: $59,060
- Median home price: $359,693
- Unemployment rate: 4.8%
5. Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Average annual salary: $43,570
- Median home price: $182,508
- Unemployment rate: 2.9%
4. Washington, District of Columbia
- Average annual salary: $65,910
- Median home price: $371,772
- Unemployment rate: 3.9%
3. San Jose, California
- Average annual salary: $78,620
- Median home price: $829,792
- Unemployment rate: 3.8%
2. Denver, Colorado
- Average annual salary: $54,450
- Median home price: $314,021
- Unemployment rate: 3.2%
1. Austin, Texas
- Average annual salary: $49,560
- Median home price: $262,182
- Unemployment rate: 3.2%
These lists are always subjective, but they’re a good place to start if you’re beginning to look for a place to settle down. Read more about each city in U.S. News & World Report’s full rankings.
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