Naples, Florida, Tops List Of The Best Places To Live In The US

U.S. News & World Report has published its 2024-2025 Best Places to Live in the U.S., which ranks 150 major cities based on value, desirability, job market and quality of life.

This year’s first place winner was Naples, Florida. U.S. News acknowledged the city is a “preferred retirement spot for the rich, powerful and cold-averse,” but it also praised the area’s “pristine beaches, sprawling golf courses, and fine dining and shopping” plus its proximity to Tampa and Miami. But despite the top ranking, Naples was faulted at several key considerations.

“Continued growth and development are exacerbating a lack of affordable homes in Naples,” said U.S. News. “And traffic, although nowhere near the levels seen in larger Florida metro areas, tends to choke roadways in the urban area during the winter months.”

Rounding out the top 10 were Boise, Idaho; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Greenville, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Huntsville, Alabama; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Austin, Texas; and Boulder, Colorado.

On the flip side, Puerto Rico’s capital city San Juan placed last among the 150 cities as being among the best places to live. Also occupying the bottom ranks were Detroit, the Connecticut cities Hartford and New Haven, and Flint, Michigan.

This year’s rankings featured new data considerations that included a shift from the traditional metropolitan area-based data to city-based data, which resulted in many cities in the Midwest and South making their first appearances in the top 25.