11 states represented in this shortlist.
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Ranking
Best Places to Live in America Research Shortlist
A transparent best-places shortlist using the verified and derived layers currently live: Census population momentum, ACS city/place context, young-grad fit, BLS state job proxy, city scale, cost pressure, schooling access, commute, and lifestyle tags. Rankings are transparent research aids. Verify rent, wages, school programs, crime, commute, taxes, and neighborhood details before making a relocation decision.
Tea, South Dakota is first under this page's stated ordering.
Median transparent recent-grad fit score across the displayed cities.
$1,420 median rent among covered rows.
How to use this shortlist
A transparent best-places shortlist using the verified and derived layers currently live: Census population momentum, ACS city/place context, young-grad fit, BLS state job proxy, city scale, cost pressure, schooling access, commute, and lifestyle tags. The order is a research screen, not a promise that the first city fits every household. Open a city profile, run the affordability calculator, and verify current housing, salary, neighborhood safety, school boundaries, taxes, insurance, and commute details before deciding.
| City | Catalog | Grad fit | Median rent | Median income | 2025 population | City unemployment | Growth | Jobs | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tea, South Dakota | 2025 population #3741 | 87/100 | $1,220 | $120,139 | 8,019 | 2.0% | +42.74% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Sioux Falls, South Dakota | State starter | 87/100 | $1,035 | $75,970 | 213,748 | 2.5% | +10.90% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Harrisburg, South Dakota | 2025 population #3125 | 86/100 | $1,362 | $108,724 | 10,405 | 1.0% | +54.47% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Spearfish, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 86/100 | $963 | $65,688 | 14,154 | 2.2% | +15.91% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Providence, Utah | 2025 population #3313 | 86/100 | $1,560 | $118,072 | 9,539 | 1.1% | +15.81% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Eagle, Idaho | 2025 population #1202 | 86/100 | $1,765 | $122,894 | 34,658 | 2.0% | +11.19% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Hyde Park, Utah | 2025 population #4523 | 86/100 | $1,273 | $113,102 | 5,786 | 5.0% | +10.44% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Waukee, Iowa | 2025 population #1192 | 85/100 | $1,383 | $101,029 | 34,890 | 3.5% | +45.73% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Mapleton, Utah | 2025 population #2287 | 85/100 | $1,386 | $133,142 | 16,275 | 2.3% | +43.27% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Powell, Ohio | 2025 population #2085 | 85/100 | $2,194 | $195,495 | 18,269 | 2.0% | +28.14% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Lehi, Utah | Utah coverage | 85/100 | $1,964 | $131,299 | 95,313 | 4.0% | +25.56% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Verona, Wisconsin | 2025 population #2227 | 85/100 | $1,605 | $119,606 | 16,821 | 1.6% | +20.78% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Madison, Alabama | Alabama coverage | 85/100 | $1,453 | $134,655 | 67,968 | 2.2% | +19.43% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Bentonville, Arkansas | Arkansas coverage | 85/100 | $1,344 | $112,792 | 63,057 | 3.1% | +16.31% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Rigby, Idaho | 2025 population #4531 | 85/100 | $1,180 | $85,056 | 5,757 | 2.2% | +14.25% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Hobart, Wisconsin | 2025 population #2884 | 85/100 | $1,278 | $103,440 | 11,674 | 0.5% | +14.18% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Grandview Heights, Ohio | 2025 population #3437 | 85/100 | $1,750 | $117,672 | 9,112 | 1.2% | +12.67% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Grimes, Iowa | 2025 population #2168 | 85/100 | $1,251 | $120,037 | 17,405 | 1.9% | +12.17% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Highland, Utah | 2025 population #1818 | 85/100 | $2,166 | $186,075 | 21,571 | 3.9% | +11.31% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Horace, North Dakota | 2025 population #4070 | 84/100 | $2,146 | $138,578 | 7,001 | 0.4% | +118.37% | strong | rent watch |
| Tiffin, Iowa | 2025 population #4018 | 84/100 | $1,224 | $100,952 | 7,156 | 0.4% | +58.28% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Whitestown, Indiana | 2025 population #2339 | 84/100 | $1,842 | $123,643 | 15,767 | 1.6% | +53.44% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Westfield, Indiana | 2025 population #599 | 84/100 | $1,667 | $122,789 | 66,258 | 2.8% | +42.66% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Bondurant, Iowa | 2025 population #3290 | 84/100 | $1,337 | $135,674 | 9,647 | 0.9% | +30.35% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Pike Road, Alabama | 2025 population #2845 | 84/100 | $1,653 | $117,091 | 11,899 | 0.5% | +26.10% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Apex, North Carolina | 2025 population #463 | 84/100 | $1,902 | $144,135 | 80,419 | 3.8% | +24.94% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Cottage Grove, Wisconsin | 2025 population #3479 | 84/100 | $1,531 | $139,313 | 8,930 | 0.9% | +22.38% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Spanish Fork, Utah | 2025 population #847 | 84/100 | $1,489 | $104,844 | 48,837 | 2.3% | +14.59% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Ankeny, Iowa | Iowa coverage | 84/100 | $1,319 | $108,198 | 77,833 | 1.9% | +14.29% | competitive | rent-friendly |
| Ephraim, Utah | 2025 population #4284 | 84/100 | $928 | $66,541 | 6,393 | 10.5% | +13.77% | competitive | rent-friendly |