With travel curtailed significantly over the past year, living in a desirable area has never been more important for Americans. People want to live in an area that is affordable, safe, and convenient — a place that provides a high quality of life for its residents.

While each place in the country has its positives and negatives, some cities stand out as especially good places to live. These cities have universal appeal, as they are attractive to most people because of their location, economic condition, the numerous entertainment and leisure options they provide, as well as other quality of life attributes.

To identify the best cities to live in, 24/7 Wall St. used data from the Census Bureau, FBI, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a weighted index of 25 measures across four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community. 

The 50 best cities to live are concentrated in just a dozen different states. California dominates the list with 20 of its cities making the list, followed by Massachusetts with seven, and New Jersey with six.

The best cities to live are typically just outside major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, or Chicago. Their residents have access to the high-paying jobs in those cities but can avoid issues that often come with major cities, like higher crime rates and housing costs. These are the most expensive houses to buy in the nation.

Click here to see the best cities to live
Click here to read our detailed methodology