CLEVELAND, Ohio — U.S. News and World Report has come out with its annual rankings of the best places to live, but you have to scroll down all the way to No. 84 to find Cleveland.
The magazine ranked the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the country based on a city’s affordability, job prospects and quality of life. Cleveland’s average score in those categories was 6.0 (out of 10).
By comparison, the top-ranked city on the list, Austin, Texas, averaged a 7.8.
“When considering a move people are concerned about finding a job in their field, earning enough to afford a home, sending their kids to good schools and feeling like a part of their community,” Kim Castro, executive editor at U.S. News, said in a release. “The Best Places to Live ranking takes all of that into account – the metro areas that do well are the ones with strong job markets and high quality of life.”
Cleveland did not fare well, particularly, in the job market category. The report cites the city’s higher than average unemployment and lower than average median salary. While Cleveland scored very well for its low cost of living, it ranked on the low end in desirability and quality of life.
Still, the publication offered some optimism about the city’s chances to improve in the future.
“This metro area on the banks of Lake Erie is experiencing growth and revitalization,” the report said. “With continued development, opportunities abound for construction workers and electricians, as well as for professionals in the medical and IT sectors.”
Cleveland was one of six Ohio cities on the list, ranking behind Cincinnati (No. 53), Columbus (No. 57), Toledo (No. 71) and Dayton (No. 75), but ahead of Youngstown (No. 87). If the ranking seems low, Clevelanders can take solace in the fact that we’re ranked just below below New York (No. 80) and Chicago (No. 83) and ahead of Los Angeles (No. 88) and Detroit (No. 89).
Here are the Top 10 best cities to live for 2017, according to U.S. News & World Report:
1. Austin, TX
2. Denver, CO
3. San Jose, CA
4. Washington, DC
5. Fayetteville, AR
6. Seattle, WA
7. Raleigh & Durham, NC
8. Boston, MA
9. Des Moines, IA
10. Salt Lake City, UT
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