The Best City To Live In Every State

Corrales, New Mexico, is a small village of less than 10,000 residents located just north of Albuquerque. Steeped in history, the area shows evidence of human settlement dating as far back as 500 A.D. Today, socioeconomic conditions in the area make it the best place to live in New Mexico.

An average of only 2.8% of the local labor force have been unemployed in the last five years, less than half the comparable 6.7% statewide average. The local poverty rate of 4.9% is also nearly one-fifth New Mexico’s poverty rate of 19.1%. Corrales is also relatively safe. There were only 138 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the area in 2019 compared to New Mexico’s violent crime rate of 832 per 100,000.

Rye, New York, a small city in Westchester County bordered by Long Island Sound near the Connecticut border, is the best place to live in the state. Residents benefit from reliable public transportation, including a commuter line into nearby Manhattan. Quality of life is further bolstered by a higher than average concentration of restaurants, gyms, golf courses, theater companies, and libraries in the surrounding area.

Rye is also one of the safest communities in the United States. There were only 6 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in the area in 2019, a fraction of the 571 violent crimes per 100,000 people in nearby New York City and well below the state violent crime rate of 359 per 100,000.

Davidson, North Carolina, located along the shore of Lake Norman just north of Charlotte, ranks as the best place to live in the state. Davidson is both pedestrian and bicycle friendly with multiple public spaces and a goal of developing a park within a quarter of a mile of every household. The town has multiple annual events and, in addition to entertainment and cultural amenities in nearby Charlotte, boasts a high per capita concentration of restaurants, hotels, gyms, sports teams and clubs, and movie theaters.

Davidson is also a safe community. There were only 61 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the area in 2019 compared to North Carolina’s violent crime rate of 372 per 100,000.

West Fargo, North Dakota, ranks as the best place to live in the state. The local five-year average unemployment rate of 1.5% is nearly half the 2.8% statewide average. Local residents also have access to a greater than average concentration of bars, restaurants, hotels, gyms, theater companies, and movie theaters. West Fargo is also safe, with a violent crime rate of 144 incidents per 100,000 people, below the rate across North Dakota of 285 per 100,000.

As is often the case in communities with such favorable conditions, West Fargo is growing rapidly. One of the fastest growing cities in North Dakota, the town’s population expanded by 24.8% over the last five years, more than triple North Dakota’s 7.3% five-year population growth.

The wealthy Cleveland suburb of Bay Village, situated on the shore of Lake Erie, ranks as the best place to live in Ohio. Quality of life in the area is improved/enhanced in part by four parks, several community centers and facilities, including a pool, and trails used for biking, hiking, and jogging. Bay Village and the surrounding county also have a higher than average per capita concentration of bars, restaurants, sports clubs, museums, and movie theaters.

Bay Village is also safe, with a violent crime rate of 26 incidents per 100,000 people, below the 293 per 100,000 rate across Ohio and well below the 1,517 per 100,000 rate in nearby Cleveland.