National ranking · LiveAbility

LiveAbility Rankings

Every US metro ranked by a single composite of eight quality-of-life dimensions, cost, jobs, housing, safety, schools, air quality, climate and hazard risk, drawn from federal data.

Compiled by PlainRelocate Editorial, Relocation Intelligence Editorial Team

387
Metros ranked: Grand Forks
Most livable metro: 74.4
Top score (/100)

The verdict

As of June 2026, the most livable affordable US metros right now are led by Grand Forks, Minot and Charleston.

51.5
Median LiveAbility Score: 13
point interquartile spread (Q1–Q3): #387
lowest: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (22.9/100)

Score 100 = best in the nation for that dimension. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12% each, air & hazard 10% each, climate 8%.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and seven other federal agencies, PlainRelocate ranks 387 U.S. metros by LiveAbility Score, an eight-dimension federal-data composite. As of June 2026, the top-ranked metros are Grand Forks, Minot, and Charleston, with a national median score of 51.5 out of 100 and a 13-point interquartile spread.

Composite scores for 387 US metro areas, scored from BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA and FEMA data across all 50 states; see our methodology.

→ Adjust weights to match your priorities

Grand Forks

74.4
Minot

73.6
Charleston

73.2
Fargo

71.5
Parkersburg-Vienna

70.4
Florence

70
Greenville

69.2
Wheeling

68.8
Bismarck

68.2
Beckley

67.9
Sumter

67.8
Huntington-Ashland

66.3
Spartanburg

65.9
Grand Island

65.2
Ames

65

What this shows Grand Forks, Minot and Charleston lead the nation on the composite score, well above the 51.5/100 median across all 387 ranked metros. The full ranking and per-dimension breakdown are in the table below.

70–100 Excellent 55–69 Good 40–54 Average 25–39 Below Average 0–24 Low

How tightly are metros clustered?

25th percentile

51.5

Median (50th)

75th percentile

Interquartile spread

The middle 50% of 387 ranked metros fall between 44 and 57, a spread of 13 points, a wide spread, meaning quality-of-life outcomes diverge sharply across the middle of the distribution. Computed directly from the 387 composite scores above, not a separate estimate.

#	Metro	Score	Cost	Safety	Air	Housing	Schools	Climate	Hazard	Jobs
1	Grand Forks ND-MN	74.4	92	67	-	84	97	8	75	67
2	Minot ND	73.6	92	66	85	93	96	1	75	52
3	Charleston WV	73.2	82	100	73	100	79	43	72	28
4	Fargo ND-MN	71.5	71	67	82	78	97	16	76	69
5	Parkersburg-Vienna WV	70.4	91	99	54	98	78	50	71	11
6	Florence SC	70	92	97	34	82	74	98	78	11
7	Greenville NC	69.2	85	94	86	83	40	87	42	38
8	Wheeling WV-OH	68.8	85	98	38	94	77	53	70	21
9	Bismarck ND	68.2	69	67	73	68	98	1	76	72
10	Beckley WV	67.9	85	100	-	99	79	26	72	3
11	Sumter SC	67.8	87	96	-	52	72	100	76	12
12	Huntington-Ashland WV-KY-OH	66.3	84	100	49	96	78	26	71	10
13	Spartanburg SC	65.9	69	96	23	65	73	91	76	41
14	Grand Island NE	65.2	93	82	94	62	80	30	30	33
15	Ames IA	65	82	73	-	92	56	28	25	65
16	Lynchburg VA	64.9	78	80	96	66	76	58	17	43
17	Weirton-Steubenville WV-OH	64.5	80	99	35	94	78	27	71	14
18	Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford VA	63.9	57	81	83	84	77	57	17	51
19	Hattiesburg MS	63.9	89	89	32	88	86	62	53	1
20	Lewiston-Auburn ME	63.9	44	92	95	26	100	19	95	57
21	Casper WY	63.6	48	89	58	86	98	15	70	39
22	Rocky Mount NC	63.4	87	93	84	74	38	70	40	20
23	Bangor ME	63.3	35	92	93	39	100	13	96	54
24	Lincoln NE	63.2	66	81	65	74	80	49	30	51
25	Morgantown WV	63.2	52	99	55	81	78	27	71	37
26	Sioux Falls SD-MN	63.2	72	48	93	95	82	34	20	44
27	Decatur IL	63.1	84	64	57	87	62	45	27	52
28	Atlantic City-Hammonton NJ	62.8	25	82	92	11	94	75	86	78
29	Columbia SC	62.8	49	98	34	52	74	98	78	43
30	Fond du Lac WI	62.7	66	62	82	68	54	45	68	55
31	Cedar Rapids IA	62.6	81	73	51	97	56	35	25	50
32	Joplin MO-KS	62.5	97	15	66	100	88	77	19	22
33	Dubuque IA	62.1	90	72	-	86	55	35	24	42
34	La Crosse-Onalaska WI-MN	62.1	65	61	86	71	53	18	67	64
35	Johnstown PA	61.9	95	70	61	90	84	27	34	8
36	Dalton GA	61.7	75	55	68	92	67	60	46	24
37	Watertown-Fort Drum NY	61.7	89	36	94	38	94	53	20	59
38	Paducah KY-IL	61.6	94	77	54	96	47	50	28	22
39	Greenville-Anderson-Greer SC	61.5	52	97	25	70	74	46	77	48
40	St. Cloud MN	61.3	90	65	75	63	46	10	30	75
41	Altoona PA	61.2	77	71	88	75	85	28	35	18
42	Peoria IL	61.1	68	64	47	90	59	41	26	68
43	Albany GA	61	89	56	43	76	69	85	47	18
44	Brunswick-St. Simons GA	61	88	55	78	51	68	95	46	19
45	Vineland NJ	61	38	82	74	22	93	36	85	74
46	Appleton WI	60.7	60	63	88	59	54	29	68	60
47	Eagle Pass TX	60.7	100	34	87	96	62	98	4	0
48	Gulfport-Biloxi MS	60.7	75	90	33	75	87	46	54	17
49	Norwich-New London-Willimantic CT	60.7	20	90	85	12	90	22	98	91
50	Fort Smith AR-OK	60.5	96	5	50	98	81	83	65	2
51	Sheboygan WI	60.5	47	60	69	78	51	52	66	64
52	Wildwood-The Villages FL	60.5	98	83	-	48	12	74	54	47
53	Pittsfield MA	60.3	43	52	81	24	90	25	90	87
54	Utica-Rome NY	60.2	58	36	96	70	95	24	21	68
55	Decatur AL	60.1	90	41	50	97	31	76	61	23
56	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton NC	60.1	83	94	36	83	40	69	42	22
57	Tuscaloosa AL	59.9	88	39	84	75	27	74	60	31
58	Cheyenne WY	59.8	36	88	43	69	98	2	70	63
59	Iowa City IA	59.8	67	72	77	74	55	31	24	59
60	Jackson MS	59.8	80	89	27	51	86	87	53	11
61	Manchester-Nashua NH	59.6	6	91	85	7	99	49	98	83
62	Oshkosh-Neenah WI	59.6	54	60	-	73	52	33	66	68
63	Wausau WI	59.6	58	60	84	73	51	21	65	56
64	Elizabethtown KY	59.4	72	78	67	87	50	54	29	28
65	Champaign-Urbana IL	59.3	57	65	51	77	64	43	27	73
66	Waterloo-Cedar Falls IA	59.2	91	72	26	88	54	36	24	45
67	Dothan AL	59.1	100	41	-	97	30	72	61	1
68	Providence-Warwick RI-MA	59	15	89	59	30	86	23	100	88
69	Salisbury MD	59	40	25	69	71	70	81	80	57
70	Binghamton NY	58.9	55	39	-	80	99	14	23	74
71	Rome GA	58.9	74	54	80	65	66	90	45	12
72	Green Bay WI	58.7	53	62	81	71	53	17	68	56
73	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford CT	58.7	12	91	72	12	91	21	99	94
74	Jonesboro AR	58.7	96	4	-	90	80	62	64	4
75	Muncie IN	58.7	86	49	47	89	43	40	73	25
76	Sioux City IA-NE-SD	58.7	93	72	53	72	55	36	24	36
77	Anniston-Oxford AL	58.6	95	42	-	96	32	71	62	3
78	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL	58.6	80	73	38	74	56	44	25	53
79	Duluth MN-WI	58.5	82	66	77	60	47	3	31	67
80	Eau Claire WI	58.5	56	62	83	67	54	16	68	54
81	Springfield MA	58.5	37	52	80	19	90	25	89	88
82	Winston-Salem NC	58.4	62	92	20	97	38	70	40	36
83	Florence-Muscle Shoals AL	58.3	98	41	-	93	30	73	61	3
84	Columbus GA-AL	58	79	55	25	85	67	84	46	18
85	Erie PA	57.9	70	71	82	62	85	16	35	29
86	Goldsboro NC	57.9	84	95	-	58	41	86	42	7
87	Waterbury-Shelton CT	57.9	24	90	-	15	89	22	98	83
88	Bowling Green KY	57.7	74	78	68	93	51	43	29	13
89	Columbia MO	57.7	78	15	77	72	89	57	19	42
90	Jefferson City MO	57.6	87	15	72	89	88	58	19	16
91	Cape Girardeau MO-IL	57.5	94	16	-	94	89	57	19	12
92	Pocatello ID	57.4	81	74	76	69	35	3	93	15
93	Mankato MN	57.3	69	66	41	70	46	33	31	74
94	Portland-South Portland ME	57.2	15	92	76	13	100	6	95	80
95	College Station-Bryan TX	57.1	70	35	78	66	63	93	5	48
96	Kingsport-Bristol TN-VA	56.6	93	3	66	89	49	77	38	25
97	Barnstable Town MA	56.5	27	52	90	4	93	24	90	92
98	New Haven CT	56.5	8	90	64	9	90	21	99	94
99	Terre Haute IN	56.5	88	48	30	83	43	42	72	25
100	Charleston-North Charleston SC	56.4	17	98	51	15	74	86	78	70
101	Montgomery AL	56.4	76	40	60	92	29	79	60	17
102	Staunton-Stuarts Draft VA	56.4	69	79	-	55	75	59	16	35
103	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach SC	56.3	49	97	71	34	73	80	77	6
104	Roanoke VA	56.3	50	80	70	57	76	81	16	35
105	Lubbock TX	56.2	68	32	98	95	60	78	3	15
106	Owensboro KY	56.2	83	77	55	79	47	54	28	13
107	Madison WI	56.1	32	61	60	64	52	19	67	86
108	Twin Falls ID *	56.1	62	74	98	66	34	10	93	16
109	Urban Honolulu HI	56.1	2	75	94	3	72	74	89	90
110	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV	56.1	4	98	23	5	94	-	100	99
111	Dover DE	56	31	43	67	34	75	76	100	58
112	Kokomo IN	56	76	50	48	77	44	32	73	32
113	Alexandria LA	55.9	97	28	79	93	11	75	50	6
114	Burlington-South Burlington VT	55.9	18	79	87	6	87	15	98	82
115	Trenton-Princeton NJ	55.9	12	82	53	10	94	36	85	97
116	Williamsport PA	55.9	61	68	74	64	81	35	32	29
117	Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury CT Metropolitan Statistical Area	55.8	5	91	63	3	92	21	99	97
118	Longview-Kelso WA	55.7	31	47	98	35	29	49	88	89
119	Monroe LA	55.7	100	27	64	100	10	79	48	5
120	St. Joseph MO-KS	55.7	93	14	26	86	87	58	18	32
121	Chambersburg PA	55.6	45	71	92	40	85	29	35	52
122	Midland MI	55.6	63	18	-	64	22	50	82	80
123	Fayetteville NC	55.5	63	95	37	57	41	69	43	39
124	Janesville-Beloit WI	55.5	49	62	66	58	53	17	67	64
125	Springfield IL	55.5	56	63	63	63	58	41	26	62
126	Rockford IL	55.2	62	63	54	68	59	41	26	54
127	Hot Springs AR	55.1	96	5	22	84	80	77	65	1
128	Mansfield OH	55.1	81	58	-	95	17	49	51	18
129	Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk VA-NC	55.1	30	79	63	51	75	59	16	73
130	Worcester MA	55.1	13	51	84	17	89	25	89	93
131	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC	54.8	31	95	13	75	42	69	43	69
132	Evansville IN	54.8	66	50	37	78	45	39	74	37
133	Manhattan KS	54.7	74	16	-	88	70	79	15	31
134	Springfield MO	54.7	83	14	39	82	88	82	18	19
135	Lewiston ID-WA	54.6	68	74	56	61	35	8	93	30
136	Mobile AL	54.6	86	40	40	85	29	63	60	20
137	Augusta-Richmond County GA-SC	54.5	64	55	16	56	68	84	46	46
138	Pinehurst-Southern Pines NC	54.4	85	93	-	43	39	70	41	11
139	Beaumont-Port Arthur TX	54.3	75	35	10	81	64	93	6	53
140	Omaha NE-IA	54.3	64	81	21	41	79	24	29	70
141	Elkhart-Goshen IN	54.2	73	51	42	67	45	39	74	32
142	Auburn-Opelika AL	54.1	87	42	-	67	32	71	62	14
143	Bloomington IL	54.1	50	65	52	50	64	42	28	72
144	Valdosta GA	54.1	86	53	44	65	66	67	44	4
145	Des Moines-West Des Moines IA	54	65	73	42	49	55	30	25	71
146	Greensboro-High Point NC	53.9	55	94	42	48	40	69	42	46
147	Huntsville AL	53.9	54	40	49	49	30	87	60	71
148	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre PA	53.9	50	68	69	57	82	27	32	40
149	Syracuse NY	53.9	39	37	89	39	95	23	21	83
150	Lexington-Fayette KY	53.8	55	78	56	54	48	54	29	53
151	Longview TX	53.8	77	32	86	64	60	99	3	16
152	Texarkana TX-AR	53.8	99	30	23	99	58	92	1	5
153	Topeka KS	53.8	82	16	39	87	69	53	15	42
154	Gadsden AL	53.7	97	40	33	98	30	45	61	0
155	Kahului-Wailuku HI	53.7	3	75	99	4	73	47	89	82
156	Lima OH	53.7	76	58	60	79	17	37	51	33
157	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers AR	53.6	67	5	66	45	81	83	65	31
158	Wichita KS	53.5	81	16	30	81	69	83	14	38
159	Hagerstown-Martinsburg MD-WV	53.4	46	25	61	56	71	46	81	49
160	Jacksonville NC	53.4	62	94	-	69	40	70	41	5
161	Lawton OK	53.4	95	23	57	92	39	96	14	2
162	Amherst Town-Northampton MA	53.3	22	53	-	8	93	28	90	95
163	Racine-Mount Pleasant WI	53.3	38	60	59	60	52	34	66	60
164	Sandusky OH	53.2	79	57	-	80	14	51	51	27
165	Warner Robins GA	53.2	48	53	53	42	65	93	44	47
166	Cleveland OH	53.1	47	59	-	90	19	15	52	67
167	Sierra Vista-Douglas AZ	53.1	79	21	27	57	33	91	79	40
168	Flint MI	53	54	19	62	91	24	30	84	50
169	Michigan City-La Porte IN	53	65	49	65	73	43	40	73	16
170	Farmington NM	52.7	89	1	29	85	71	26	69	24
171	Fort Wayne IN	52.7	59	50	33	78	44	40	74	35
172	Rochester MN	52.7	71	65	45	37	46	4	30	88
173	Youngstown-Warren OH	52.6	90	57	35	94	12	38	50	17
174	Bloomington IN	52.5	43	51	58	62	45	38	75	50
175	Jackson TN	52.5	97	3	93	56	50	62	39	14
176	Charlottesville VA	52.4	25	81	72	13	77	75	17	81
177	Macon-Bibb County GA	52.4	83	54	18	50	66	85	45	17
178	Idaho Falls ID	52.3	46	74	57	50	35	0	94	57
179	Richmond VA	52.3	30	80	46	23	76	81	16	81
180	Jacksonville FL	52.2	24	87	19	80	17	88	58	57
181	Enid OK *	52.1	99	23	-	91	41	76	14	1
182	St. Louis MO-IL	52.1	43	14	7	98	87	59	18	69
183	Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal SC	52	29	97	-	14	73	87	77	29
184	Morristown TN	52	94	2	71	76	48	80	38	4
185	Sebring FL	52	60	83	91	54	13	82	55	3
186	Harrisonburg VA	51.9	44	80	61	49	76	58	17	37
187	Bay City MI	51.8	63	20	87	91	25	14	84	21
188	Billings MT	51.7	50	25	78	36	93	7	64	56
189	Buffalo-Cheektowaga NY	51.6	38	39	52	45	98	14	23	86
190	Coeur d'Alene ID	51.6	27	75	97	29	35	44	94	44
191	Las Cruces NM	51.6	74	1	4	89	71	48	69	36
192	York-Hanover PA	51.6	37	67	44	46	81	53	31	55
193	Burlington NC	51.5	53	96	-	44	42	68	43	26
194	Louisville/Jefferson County KY-IN	51.5	53	78	18	54	48	78	28	52
195	Kennewick-Richland WA	51.4	23	47	90	29	29	18	88	98
196	State College PA	51.3	35	68	69	38	82	34	32	58
197	Elmira NY	51.2	46	38	-	52	97	30	23	61
198	Grants Pass OR	51.2	30	44	95	42	24	86	92	39
199	Columbus IN	51	54	51	51	36	45	44	75	55
200	Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek OH	51	57	58	-	53	18	29	52	73
201	Wilmington NC	51	36	93	73	36	38	68	40	45
202	Yakima WA	51	40	45	83	40	26	11	86	76
203	Battle Creek MI	50.9	72	20	-	68	26	13	85	51
204	Glens Falls NY	50.8	44	38	-	44	97	46	22	61
205	Laredo TX	50.8	92	33	41	72	61	95	3	2
206	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway AR	50.8	78	4	8	73	79	88	64	10
207	Canton-Massillon OH	50.7	78	59	29	85	20	37	53	23
208	Milwaukee-Waukesha WI	50.7	33	61	41	46	52	19	66	80
209	Pittsburgh PA	50.7	45	69	12	50	83	34	33	65
210	Athens-Clarke County GA	50.6	52	56	38	47	68	84	47	27
211	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin FL	50.6	33	88	90	16	19	71	59	59
212	Lawrence KS	50.6	73	17	-	67	71	48	15	44
213	Toledo OH	50.4	67	57	11	86	12	38	50	53
214	Brownsville-Harlingen TX	50.3	94	35	4	88	64	86	5	4
215	South Bend-Mishawaka IN-MI	50	55	48	40	51	43	41	72	46
216	Durham-Chapel Hill NC	49.9	31	95	20	20	42	76	43	85
217	Birmingham AL	49.7	66	42	5	55	31	85	62	49
218	Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH	49.7	5	52	58	1	92	24	90	98
219	Lebanon PA	49.7	53	69	56	37	83	32	33	33
220	Albany-Schenectady-Troy NY	49.6	24	39	88	21	99	12	23	90
221	Saginaw MI	49.6	71	17	-	77	21	20	81	41
222	San Antonio-New Braunfels TX	49.6	45	31	11	82	58	99	2	62
223	Rochester NY	49.4	33	37	75	27	95	23	21	81
224	Jackson MI	49.3	64	19	-	71	23	17	83	49
225	Lafayette-West Lafayette IN	49.3	51	49	48	59	44	32	73	37
226	Monroe MI	49.3	51	18	100	48	22	8	82	62
227	Homosassa Springs FL	49.1	51	87	57	61	18	73	58	7
228	Wichita Falls TX	49.1	77	29	-	76	57	94	0	8
229	Lansing-East Lansing MI	49	43	18	71	55	23	18	83	75
230	Rapid City SD	49	80	48	21	69	83	9	20	26
231	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro OR-WA	48.9	7	43	80	11	21	90	91	94
232	Springfield OH	48.9	72	57	39	79	13	38	51	24
233	Waco TX	48.9	59	30	11	95	57	94	0	34
234	Niles MI	48.8	61	17	64	66	22	20	82	48
235	Bellingham WA	48.7	11	47	93	15	32	42	88	91
236	Shreveport-Bossier City LA	48.7	98	26	17	79	9	91	48	9
237	Abilene TX	48.6	73	36	-	53	65	97	7	15
238	Killeen-Temple TX	48.5	68	33	35	60	61	99	4	28
239	Winchester VA-WV	48.5	36	79	63	27	75	35	15	60
240	Ithaca NY	48.4	11	38	92	17	96	47	22	85
241	Raleigh-Cary NC	48.4	29	93	31	17	39	81	41	75
242	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission TX	48	95	32	8	87	60	63	3	5
243	Savannah GA	48	42	53	45	22	66	100	44	40
244	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton PA-NJ	47.9	23	71	68	11	86	28	35	71
245	Akron OH	47.8	52	59	44	55	20	37	53	55
246	Amarillo TX	47.8	64	36	52	80	65	42	6	21
247	Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux LA	47.8	98	28	28	81	11	62	49	6
248	Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands TX	47.7	26	33	3	83	61	94	4	74
249	Johnson City TN	47.6	88	3	-	76	49	55	39	7
250	Lafayette LA	47.6	91	27	19	99	10	48	49	9
251	Lexington Park MD	47.6	19	25	-	7	70	57	80	96
252	Lakeland-Winter Haven FL	47.5	32	87	76	31	17	88	58	27
253	Mount Vernon-Anacortes WA	47.4	14	46	96	20	28	10	87	93
254	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville FL	47.4	23	85	70	20	15	80	56	61
255	Victoria TX	47.4	76	30	90	35	57	94	1	10
256	Kansas City MO-KS	47.3	59	15	13	43	88	47	18	73
257	Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard WA	47.2	7	47	99	8	31	29	88	96
258	Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater WA	47.2	10	46	96	10	28	33	87	95
259	Kalamazoo-Portage MI	47.1	44	19	41	72	23	18	83	64
260	Kenosha WI	47.1	17	61	-	39	53	31	67	71
261	Hammond LA	46.9	99	28	32	82	11	47	49	2
262	Asheville NC	46.8	35	96	29	27	42	75	44	44
263	Gettysburg PA	46.8	41	70	49	41	85	26	34	29
264	Traverse City MI	46.8	51	17	79	61	21	20	81	42
265	Lake Havasu City-Kingman AZ	46.6	46	22	99	42	34	56	80	20
266	Tulsa OK	46.6	79	23	16	61	38	97	13	35
267	Walla Walla WA	46.6	26	45	79	28	27	11	86	77
268	Reading PA	46.5	33	68	54	26	82	9	32	62
269	Gainesville FL	46.3	35	87	81	32	18	61	59	26
270	Harrisburg-Carlisle PA	46.3	26	70	28	32	84	31	34	65
271	Muskegon-Norton Shores MI	46	60	18	81	59	22	20	82	26
272	Tyler TX	45.9	61	30	74	46	57	97	1	15
273	Wenatchee-East Wenatchee WA	45.9	9	45	95	31	27	4	86	84
274	Hinesville GA	45.8	47	54	-	38	67	84	45	9
275	Lake Charles LA	45.8	96	27	25	62	10	78	48	9
276	Bend OR	45.6	10	44	78	40	25	7	92	79
277	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell GA	45.4	23	56	7	14	68	95	47	77
278	Salem OR	45.4	10	43	91	28	21	12	91	85
279	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD	45.3	13	69	12	14	83	65	33	86
280	Cleveland TN	45.2	86	3	-	60	50	55	39	10
281	Albany OR	45.1	15	45	97	31	26	11	93	63
282	Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor FL	45	27	84	91	25	14	74	55	28
283	Oklahoma City OK	44.8	73	23	12	58	39	83	14	43
284	Tallahassee FL	44.8	47	83	30	44	13	82	54	21
285	Missoula MT	44.7	36	24	55	43	91	8	63	38
286	Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood IN	44.6	39	50	8	33	44	31	74	72
287	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson MD	44.5	8	26	34	12	72	56	81	90
288	Lancaster PA	44.5	28	69	22	30	84	48	33	48
289	Odessa TX	44.3	48	31	89	25	59	89	2	32
290	Midland TX	44.2	39	32	-	16	60	89	2	81
291	Baton Rouge LA	44.1	71	28	14	63	11	68	50	36
292	Kankakee IL	44	37	64	-	48	61	40	26	33
293	Bozeman MT	43.8	13	24	100	6	92	4	64	66
294	Cincinnati OH-KY-IN	43.8	42	59	10	43	19	43	52	72
295	Clarksville TN-KY	43.8	70	4	62	45	50	55	39	23
296	Daphne-Fairhope-Foley AL	43.7	45	42	72	45	31	72	62	7
297	New Orleans-Metairie LA	43.6	58	26	27	47	10	64	48	61
298	Spokane-Spokane Valley WA	43.6	21	46	45	29	28	9	87	86
299	Logan UT-ID	43.3	38	77	48	59	1	6	97	22
300	Memphis TN-MS-AR	43.3	61	2	6	53	48	88	38	46
301	Corpus Christi TX	43	58	34	20	37	63	98	5	34
302	Corvallis OR	42.9	9	44	-	25	25	44	92	82
303	Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL	42.8	14	88	87	9	20	71	59	38
304	Columbus OH	42.6	41	58	9	36	19	37	52	77
305	Naples-Marco Island FL	42.6	12	86	60	8	16	64	57	68
306	Port St. Lucie FL	42.5	22	84	70	17	14	73	55	39
307	Helena MT	42.4	39	24	36	18	91	4	63	58
308	Yuma AZ	42.3	57	21	29	40	32	54	78	31
309	El Paso TX	42.1	75	33	2	65	62	61	4	13
310	Tucson AZ	42.1	34	21	5	38	33	92	79	54
311	St. George UT	41.7	32	76	44	26	0	67	96	24
312	San Angelo TX	41.6	60	31	-	46	59	96	2	8
313	Medford OR	41.5	16	43	65	30	23	12	91	66
314	Ocala FL	41.4	42	86	24	41	16	80	57	8
315	Great Falls MT	41.1	34	24	36	52	92	1	63	23
316	Ann Arbor MI	40.9	18	21	59	23	26	13	85	89
317	Boise City ID	40.7	26	75	10	23	36	2	94	58
318	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach FL	40.6	25	88	67	15	18	72	59	19
319	Eugene-Springfield OR	40.6	16	44	50	21	24	11	92	76
320	Gainesville GA	40.6	34	54	15	30	67	61	45	30
321	Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos TX	40.5	29	35	15	12	65	95	6	79
322	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford FL	40.5	16	85	47	9	15	89	57	45
323	Pueblo CO	40.5	65	5	46	54	36	6	36	47
324	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA	40.5	2	46	31	4	28	52	87	100
325	Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood MI	40	40	19	19	47	24	17	83	60
326	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent FL	39.8	30	85	35	33	15	51	56	30
327	Albuquerque NM	39.5	40	1	4	35	72	13	69	66
328	Sherman-Denison TX	39.5	48	31	-	44	58	96	1	12
329	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN	39.4	10	64	6	16	63	39	27	89
330	Kingston NY	39.3	19	38	-	14	96	22	22	66
331	Anchorage AK	39.2	7	0	97	24	9	0	97	92
332	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI	39	8	66	32	21	46	10	31	94
333	Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh NY	38.9	3	37	-	8	96	22	22	89
334	Chattanooga TN-GA	38.8	67	4	15	39	51	55	40	30
335	North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota FL	38.8	14	86	47	10	16	73	57	43
336	Panama City-Panama City Beach FL	38.6	32	85	32	22	15	65	56	25
337	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin TN	38.3	37	2	17	19	47	89	37	69
338	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater FL	38	18	83	16	9	12	100	54	47
339	Provo-Orem-Lehi UT	37.9	28	76	31	35	1	7	96	34
340	Punta Gorda FL	37.7	20	84	-	33	14	65	55	19
341	Knoxville TN	37.5	59	2	14	33	49	56	38	41
342	Salt Lake City-Murray UT	37.4	19	76	6	18	0	7	96	76
343	Santa Fe NM	37.2	25	1	40	21	69	9	69	63
344	New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ	36.9	1	37	14	5	95	23	21	99
345	Prescott Valley-Prescott AZ	36.8	28	22	-	24	33	51	79	40
346	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MI	36.7	21	20	8	37	25	16	84	78
347	Reno NV	36.7	17	29	20	53	1	2	94	70
348	Ogden UT	36.4	21	76	22	25	1	6	97	50
349	Slidell-Mandeville-Covington LA	35.9	56	26	-	47	9	52	47	14
350	El Centro CA	35.8	42	13	3	42	8	60	12	87
351	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington TX	35.6	12	34	5	10	62	93	5	80
352	Fairbanks-College AK	35.4	11	0	62	22	9	1	97	87
353	Redding CA	35.3	20	11	46	26	6	96	10	84
354	Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas NV	35.1	22	29	2	18	2	63	95	67
355	Vallejo CA	35.1	4	8	89	6	3	97	7	99
356	Carson City NV	34.8	29	29	43	29	2	2	95	51
357	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler AZ	34.7	11	22	0	13	33	56	79	78
358	Santa Rosa-Petaluma CA	34.7	5	8	99	2	3	91	8	95
359	Grand Junction CO	34.5	41	6	28	58	36	3	36	45
360	Flagstaff AZ	32.9	21	22	37	11	34	3	80	59
361	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach FL	32.8	0	86	18	4	16	33	58	65
362	Santa Cruz-Watsonville CA	31.9	3	9	75	0	4	90	8	96
363	Chico CA	30.8	16	13	38	24	8	60	13	79
364	Colorado Springs CO	30.6	19	7	26	19	37	5	37	83
365	Salinas CA	30.3	3	10	75	2	5	66	10	92
366	Bakersfield-Delano CA	30.1	18	14	1	32	8	60	13	88
367	Visalia CA	29.8	24	8	1	32	2	92	7	76
368	Greeley CO	29.7	22	6	9	28	36	5	36	78
369	Boulder CO	29.6	7	7	26	7	37	14	37	97
370	Merced CA	29.6	28	12	14	31	7	50	11	75
371	Fort Collins-Loveland CO	29	17	6	9	19	37	5	36	87
372	Hanford-Corcoran CA	28.6	15	12	5	34	7	61	12	79
373	Fresno CA	28.5	14	13	2	23	8	77	12	84
374	Yuba City CA	27.4	9	7	23	28	2	68	7	82
375	Modesto CA	27.2	9	12	13	16	7	63	11	90
376	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom CA	27.2	5	10	7	5	5	90	10	98
377	Denver-Aurora-Centennial CO	26.4	6	7	3	7	37	15	37	93
378	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA	26.3	2	9	17	1	4	82	9	100
379	Stockton-Lodi CA	25.9	8	8	17	18	3	67	8	85
380	Napa CA	25.6	1	11	-	2	6	64	11	95
381	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara CA	25.3	4	9	24	0	3	67	8	97
382	San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles CA	25	4	9	24	3	4	66	9	92
383	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA	24.9	1	12	1	3	7	78	12	98
384	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura CA	24.7	2	11	21	2	6	64	11	91
385	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario CA	23.9	6	11	0	5	5	66	10	93
386	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad CA	22.9	1	10	2	1	5	66	9	96
387	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA	22.9	0	10	11	1	4	51	9	100

Score Methodology

The LiveAbility Score is a weighted composite of 8 dimensions, each normalized to a 0–100 percentile rank where 100 = best in the nation for that metric.

•

Cost of Living (18%) - BEA Regional Price Parities, metro-level

•

Jobs (15%) - BLS OES median annual wages, metro-level

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Housing (15%) - HUD Fair Market Rents (2BR) - metro-level

•

Safety (12%) - FBI UCR violent crime rate, state-level

•

Schools (12%) - NCES student-teacher ratio, state-level

•

Air Quality (10%) - EPA AQS annual median AQI, metro-level

•

Hazard Risk (10%) - FEMA disaster + NOAA storm frequency, state-level

•

Climate (8%) - NOAA 1991-2020 Normals comfort index, city-level

Want to change the weights? Use the City Discovery Tool to re-rank metros based on your personal priorities.

How to use this ranking

A single composite is a starting point, not a verdict, re-rank it by what matters to you.

The default weights are ours; turn jobs up and climate down to match your own priorities and re-rank every metro instantly. City Finder
Once you have a shortlist, put two metros on the same scorecard across cost, rent, wages, safety and schools. Compare metros
See the full federal-data profile behind the #1 metro, Grand Forks. View Grand Forks

Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a recommendation. Safety, schools and hazard use state-level data where metro-level isn't published. Always visit before you move.

Every figure on PlainRelocate is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.