LocationisticsLocationistics

Locationistics · 103 US metros · 14 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 2026-08 · FBI crime 2025 · Census ACS ACS 2024 5-year · Zillow ZHVI 2026-09-30 · last refresh Oct 19, 2026. Sources and limits.

103 places match your limits

1

CharlottesvilleVA

69.1

$464k typical home · 4.9× median income · 224k residents

School academics 95College pipeline 95Safe neighbourhoods 73weak: Population diversity 34weak: Home affordability 39
2

RaleighNC

69.1

$428k typical home · 4.3× median income · 1,487k residents

School academics 81Income vs. cost 100Job market 96weak: School sports & recruiting 25weak: Short commutes 25
3

Durham-Chapel HillNC

66.7

$402k typical home · 4.8× median income · 602k residents

College pipeline 100Temperate climate 91Job market 91weak: Property growth 36
4

ColumbusOH

66.4

$327k typical home · 4.0× median income · 2,176k residents

School academics 78Home affordability 75Job market 93weak: Faith community 39
5

AtlantaGA

66.1

$376k typical home · 4.2× median income · 6,256k residents

Temperate climate 97College pipeline 88Home affordability 67weak: Short commutes 3weak: Property growth 32
6

RichmondVA

66.0

$392k typical home · 4.5× median income · 1,341k residents

School academics 92Safe neighbourhoods 73Temperate climate 78weak: School sports & recruiting 33
7

HuntsvilleAL

65.9

$314k typical home · 3.7× median income · 517k residents

Home affordability 86School academics 83Income vs. cost 92weak: School sports & recruiting 15weak: Property growth 23
8

OmahaNE

65.1

$306k typical home · 3.6× median income · 982k residents

Home affordability 91School academics 73Job market 88weak: Temperate climate 25weak: School sports & recruiting 32
9

HartfordCT

64.1

$399k typical home · 4.2× median income · 1,153k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 94School academics 78Home affordability 66weak: Job market 12weak: Self-employment health 39
10

CincinnatiOH

63.3

$306k typical home · 3.8× median income · 2,271k residents

Home affordability 80School academics 70Job market 83weak: Population diversity 27weak: Self-employment health 39
11

Des MoinesIA

62.3

$293k typical home · 3.4× median income · 731k residents

School academics 96Home affordability 96Safe neighbourhoods 82weak: School sports & recruiting 1weak: Population diversity 20
12

Virginia BeachVA

61.2

$371k typical home · 4.5× median income · 1,787k residents

Temperate climate 99Safe neighbourhoods 73School academics 60weak: College pipeline 39
13

BostonMA

60.8

$726k typical home · 6.3× median income · 4,953k residents

College pipeline 98Safe neighbourhoods 78Income vs. cost 85weak: Short commutes 6weak: Home affordability 12
14

PhiladelphiaPA

60.6

$386k typical home · 4.2× median income · 6,272k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 70Income vs. cost 82Home affordability 63weak: Short commutes 12weak: School academics 18
15

AustinTX

60.5

$414k typical home · 4.1× median income · 2,427k residents

College pipeline 95Income vs. cost 93School academics 73weak: Property growth 0weak: Short commutes 25
16

FayettevilleAR

60.5

$364k typical home · 4.4× median income · 578k residents

School academics 83Job market 99Income vs. cost 83weak: Safe neighbourhoods 7weak: Healthcare access 9
17

Dallas-Fort WorthTX

60.0

$358k typical home · 4.0× median income · 7,986k residents

Home affordability 76College pipeline 84Income vs. cost 72weak: Property growth 16weak: Short commutes 18
18

ClevelandOH

59.8

$250k typical home · 3.5× median income · 2,172k residents

Home affordability 92Job market 100Safe neighbourhoods 54weak: Self-employment health 15weak: Income vs. cost 30
19

Minneapolis-St PaulMN

59.8

$388k typical home · 3.9× median income · 3,714k residents

Home affordability 79School academics 78Income vs. cost 96weak: Temperate climate 10weak: Property growth 16
20

Ann ArborMI

59.7

$412k typical home · 4.6× median income · 370k residents

School academics 98College pipeline 98Income vs. cost 67weak: Faith community 22weak: Temperate climate 34
21

LexingtonKY

59.4

$325k typical home · 4.5× median income · 523k residents

Safe neighbourhoods 80Temperate climate 70College pipeline 68weak: Income vs. cost 25weak: Self-employment health 26
22

San JoseCA

58.7

$1524k typical home · 9.4× median income · 1,969k residents

School academics 99College pipeline 95Temperate climate 87weak: Home affordability 1weak: Faith community 7
23

St LouisMO

58.7

$273k typical home · 3.4× median income · 2,811k residents

Home affordability 95School sports & recruiting 93College pipeline 68weak: Safe neighbourhoods 27weak: School academics 36
24

LincolnNE

58.4

$301k typical home · 4.0× median income · 344k residents

School academics 88Job market 94Home affordability 73weak: Population diversity 17weak: Temperate climate 19
25

MadisonWI

57.5

$446k typical home · 5.0× median income · 692k residents

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

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