Locationistics

Locationistics · 103 US metros · 13 weighted factors

Every "best places to live" list ranks someone else's priorities. Rank yours.

Start with the weighting most families pick, then drag the sliders. Schools, safety, climate, home prices, faith community, college pipeline and job market re-rank instantly — and every result shows exactly why it landed where it did.

Locationistics: the analysis of place as a life decision.

Live data: 103 of 103 metros refreshed — BLS unemployment 2026-07 · FBI crime 2025 · Census ACS ACS 2024 5-year · Zillow ZHVI 2026-07-31 · last refresh Sep 6, 2026. Sources and limits.

103 places match your limits

1

RaleighNC

71.6

$437k typical home · 4.4× median income · 1,487k residents

School quality 81Income vs. cost 100College pipeline 93weak: Short commutes 25
2

HuntsvilleAL

69.3

$317k typical home · 3.7× median income · 517k residents

Home affordability 86School quality 83Income vs. cost 92weak: Healthcare access 23weak: Property growth 24
3

CharlottesvilleVA

68.8

$473k typical home · 5.0× median income · 224k residents

School quality 95College pipeline 95Safe neighbourhoods 73weak: Population diversity 34weak: Home affordability 38
4

Des MoinesIA

66.9

$296k typical home · 3.4× median income · 731k residents

School quality 96Home affordability 96Safe neighbourhoods 80weak: Population diversity 20weak: Temperate climate 29
5

RichmondVA

66.8

$398k typical home · 4.6× median income · 1,341k residents

School quality 92Safe neighbourhoods 73Temperate climate 78
6

AtlantaGA

66.7

$382k typical home · 4.2× median income · 6,256k residents

Temperate climate 97College pipeline 88Home affordability 66weak: Short commutes 3weak: Property growth 36
7

OmahaNE

66.5

$311k typical home · 3.7× median income · 982k residents

Home affordability 91School quality 73Income vs. cost 87weak: Temperate climate 25weak: Population diversity 35
8

ColumbusOH

65.6

$333k typical home · 4.1× median income · 2,176k residents

Job market 98School quality 78Home affordability 75weak: Faith community 39
9

Durham-Chapel HillNC

65.4

$411k typical home · 4.9× median income · 602k residents

College pipeline 100Temperate climate 91Job market 75
10

HartfordCT

63.8

$405k typical home · 4.3× median income · 1,153k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 94School quality 78Home affordability 65weak: Job market 3weak: Self-employment health 39
11

CincinnatiOH

62.6

$311k typical home · 3.8× median income · 2,271k residents

Home affordability 80School quality 70Job market 80weak: Population diversity 27weak: Self-employment health 39
12

FayettevilleAR

60.8

$369k typical home · 4.5× median income · 578k residents

School quality 83Income vs. cost 83Property growth 94weak: Safe neighbourhoods 7weak: Healthcare access 9
13

CharlotteNC

60.1

$389k typical home · 4.7× median income · 2,768k residents

Temperate climate 94College pipeline 81Job market 72weak: Short commutes 25
14

LincolnNE

59.9

$304k typical home · 4.1× median income · 344k residents

School quality 88Job market 96Home affordability 76weak: Population diversity 17weak: Temperate climate 19
15

PhiladelphiaPA

59.4

$392k typical home · 4.3× median income · 6,272k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 70Income vs. cost 82Home affordability 62weak: Short commutes 12weak: School quality 18
16

Ann ArborMI

59.4

$423k typical home · 4.8× median income · 370k residents

School quality 98College pipeline 98Income vs. cost 67weak: Faith community 22weak: Property growth 26
17

Minneapolis-St PaulMN

59.2

$395k typical home · 4.0× median income · 3,714k residents

Home affordability 79School quality 78Income vs. cost 96weak: Temperate climate 10weak: Property growth 10
18

ClevelandOH

59.0

$254k typical home · 3.6× median income · 2,172k residents

Home affordability 92Job market 99Safe neighbourhoods 54weak: Self-employment health 15weak: Income vs. cost 30
19

Virginia BeachVA

58.7

$376k typical home · 4.6× median income · 1,787k residents

Temperate climate 99Safe neighbourhoods 73School quality 60weak: College pipeline 39
20

AustinTX

58.5

$424k typical home · 4.2× median income · 2,427k residents

College pipeline 95Income vs. cost 93School quality 73weak: Property growth 0weak: Short commutes 25
21

MadisonWI

58.4

$453k typical home · 5.1× median income · 692k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 92College pipeline 88Job market 80weak: Temperate climate 14weak: Population diversity 19
22

BostonMA

58.0

$742k typical home · 6.4× median income · 4,953k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 82College pipeline 98Income vs. cost 85weak: Short commutes 6weak: Home affordability 12
23

Cedar RapidsIA

57.9

$247k typical home · 3.2× median income · 277k residents

Home affordability 99School quality 88Safe neighbourhoods 80weak: Population diversity 4weak: College pipeline 7
24

Salt Lake CityUT

57.7

$566k typical home · 5.8× median income · 1,276k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 76Income vs. cost 91College pipeline 75weak: Home affordability 21weak: Property growth 22
25

San JoseCA

57.6

$1559k typical home · 9.6× median income · 1,969k residents

School quality 99College pipeline 95Temperate climate 87weak: Home affordability 1weak: Faith community 7

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Scores are percentile-normalised across all 103 metros, then averaged using your weights. See the data sources and their limits.