Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, many peoples lives have been totally upended. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, and many have even lost their homes. The US job market is struggling, at best, and many people are permanently now working from home. Because of all of this social distancing, quarantines, and now working from home, many people are starting to take a close look at what they really need and if they are living the best quality life.
According to a recent survey of almost 10,000 US adults, almost a quarter of them said that they had to move due to COVID-19, or if they didn’t move, they knew someone who had to. The big question here is, where is the best place to live?
U.S. News & World Report releases an annual ranking each year, and the list for 2020 and 2021 has been released. The publication does a lot of research in order to determine this ranking, and it reaches out to thousands of people from coast to coast to determine what are the most important factors are to people when choosing where to live. From there, there are categories that are created inducing quality of life, job market, overall value, desirability, net migration, and more.
In addition to all of this, for this particular list, U.S. News & World Report also considered the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the things the publication looked at in regard to COVID-19 was how people in the area viewed the virus.
It is important to mention that this survey was done at the end of August, so the COVID-19 pandemic was not as prevalent as it is in late 2020, and while the survey was being conducted, the wildfires that were ravaging the West Coast of the US were occurring, and this certainly could influence the answers that people gave.
So, without further ado, here are the top five places to live in the U.S. in 2020-2021.
Number One – Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado is the number one city to live in according to the U.S. News & World Report for 2020-2021. It was not ranked last year, so the fact that it is the number one choice for this year is pretty remarkable. Overall, Boulder received a score of 7.8/10 and when we look at the job market, it scored an 8.7/10, which is fantastic, considering we are in a time of pandemic. On top of this, Boulder is also known for its gorgeous landscaping. This is a huge draw for people who like the outdoors including trail runners, hikers, rock climbers, and cyclists.
According to Boulder experts, many people do come to the area simply for the fact that they can play where they work and live.
Number Two – Denver, Colorado
Boulder isn’t the only city in Colorado that appeared on this list. In fact, the number two spot is, in fact, the capital of Colorado, Denver. This “Mile-High City” was also in second place last year, and it had an overall score of 7.4/10. The highest score for Denver came in the “Desirability” category, which was 8.7/10. The city of Denver dates back to the Wild West, and it was a hub of activity during the Gold Rush. Today, Denver has moved beyond its gritty past, and is a progressive stronghold and home to fitness and nature lovers by the thousands.
Number Three – Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas is commonly found on these lists, and this year is no exception. The music scene in Austin is just as hot as it has ever been, and its position along the Colorado River ties in perfectly with all of the other cities on this list. (Hint…the final two cities are in the state of Colorado, too!) In addition to being named the third bests city to live in the US in 2020, Austin was also chosen as the number one city to live in the entire state of Texas! Stevie Ray Vaughan, a famous Austin native, would be proud. Known for hosting the South by Southwest Festival each year, even the cancelation of this major event this year hasn’t stopped Austin from reaching great heights.
Number Four – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, CO is like the little brother or sister to cities like Denver and Boulder. No, it’s not as flashy nor extravagant, but it sure is pretty great. It is a bit quieter, a bit simpler, and it has a low cost of living and a low rate of unemployment. Additionally, it has a ton of new construction going on, and it is also close to major ski areas like Vail and Aspen.
Number Five – Fort Collins, Colorado
Located about an hour north of high-priced Boulder and Denver, Fort Collins is a perfect option for people who want to be close to the big city life that Colorado has to offer, but still be able to afford it! Fort Collins is pretty well-known in its own right, though, thanks to its bustling breweries, including New Belgium Brewing, which is a favorite among the country’s craft beer lovers.
Finishing Up
Now you have the top five best places to live in 2020. Surprisingly, some places, such as New York City, took a huge dive due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Apple fell from 90 to 121 in only a year.
Another big city, Washington, D.C., fell 11 spots this year to the 30th best place to live due to the civil unrest that the area experienced. Speaking of civil unrest, another city, Minneapolis-St. Paul, also fell a lot, from 6 to 22nd, likely due to it being the backdrop for the killing of George Floyd.
Some cities rose in the list, however, including Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which shot up 49 spots to settle in at 26. Charlotte, North Carolina also rose up 14 spots to number 6 thanks to an affordable housing market. Finally, due to a great job market this year, Boston made a notable jump to, from 27 up to 18.
Planning your next long-distance move to one of these cities? Denver Moving Group can help. Start by getting a free moving quote with one of our professional moving coordinators today!
