Arvada was named the most livable mid-sized city in the country
Ali Longwell //November 12, 2019//
Arvada was named the most livable mid-sized city in the country
Ali Longwell //November 12, 2019//
In a recent report by financial technology company SmartAsset, Colorado cities dominated the rankings for the most livable mid-sized cities, taking the top five spots The study ranked and assessed the affordability and livability of mid-sized cities across the U.S. based on a variety of economic factors.
Out of 226 mid-sized U.S. cities analyzed and ranked, Arvada, Centennial, Westminster, Highlands Ranch and Thornton ranked as the top five most livable, in that order. Last year, only three Colorado cities made the top 10 list: Highlands Ranch ranking at No. 5, Arvada ranking at No. 6 and Centennial at No. 8.
SmartAsset defines a mid-sized city as any city with a population above 100,000, but isn't ranked as one of the 100 largest cities in the country. The study considers eight metrics when ranking the cities: gini coefficient, a statistical measurement of income inequality; the percentage change in median home values from 2014 through 2018; median monthly housing costs in 2018; the percentage of residents below the poverty line; unemployment rate; percent of residents without health insurance; and average commute time.This data was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 1-year American Community survey.
According to SmartAsset, these mid-sized cities offer affordable alternatives to large cities, though with a number of the same amenities. “Your salary can go a lot further when your costs are lower, so people who use a cost-of-living calculator to compare expenses between cities may gravitate away from major metropolises,” says the firm.
For the five Colorado cities that ranked, the following are just some of the insights gleaned from the report that make each city livable:
The top ten ranking was rounded out by Rochester, MN, Cary, NC, Meridian, Idaho, Overland Park, KS and Frisco, Texas.