US News & World Report Survey: Largest Metro Areas Ranked by Desirability, 2021

dimondpark · #1 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 6:43 PM**

This is a survey whose results was included in the US News and World Report Ranking of Best Places to Live, which is actually by metro area.

I made a list of all areas with 1 Million+ population.

Desirability Survey: Using SurveyMonkey, we polled approximately 3,600 people across the country to find out in which of the ranked metro areas they would most like to live. The metro areas were then ranked according to the percentage of the total votes they received. This survey was conducted in May 2021.

I find the contrast in scores very interesting. Los Angeles for example, ranks 126th in their livability ranking, yet LA is tied for 1st as far as where respondents desired to live.

Desirablity Score, Metro Area(Overall Best Places to Live Rank)
10.0 Los Angeles(126)
10.0 San Francisco(15)
9.6 Portland(10)
8.6 San Diego(97)
8.6 Seattle(19)
8.5 New York(118)
8.4 Denver(14)
8.3 Orlando(60)
8.2 Houston(39)
8.1 Charlotte(20)

7.9 Jacksonville(22)
7.8 Austin(5)
7.8 Boston(31)
7.7 Chicago(102)
7.6 Miami(128)
7.6 Nashville(30)
7.6 Raleigh(2)
7.5 Tampa(32)
7.5 Virginia Beach(105)
7.3 Phoenix(40)

7.0 Dallas(37)
6.8 Richmond(50)
6.7 Memphis(143)
6.7 San Antonio(75)
6.7 San Jose(36)
6.6 Atlanta(55)
6.6 Sacramento(98)
6.6 Tucson(81)
6.3 Louisville(77)
6.2 Las Vegas(137)

6.2 Philadelphia(112)
6.2 Providence(106)
6.2 Washington DC(28)
6.1 Buffalo(70)
6.1 Milwaukee(92)
6.0 New Orleans(138)
6.0 Pittsburgh(71)
5.9 Cleveland(104)
5.9 Oklahoma City(68)
5.8 Rochester(72)

5.7 Hartford(53)
5.7 Minneapolis(27)
5.7 Salt Lake City(23)
5.6 Cincinnati(44)
5.6 Kansas City(57)
5.5 Columbus(59)
5.5 Grand Rapids(34)
5.5 St Louis(99)
5.4 Baltimore(100)
5.4 Detroit(127)

5.4 Indianapolis(66)
5.2 Birmingham(91)

https://realestate.usnews.com/places...gh_to_low=true

iheartthed · #2 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:00 PM**

Wouldn't this be biased towards larger metros?

Acajack · #3 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:04 PM**

Funny how politics can affect the views of so many people.

The DC area is probably one of the best places to live in the US.

Steely Dan · #4 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimondpark

I find the contrast in scores very interesting. Los Angeles for example, ranks 126th in their livability ranking, yet LA is tied for 1st as far as where respondents desired to live.

the big 3 - NYC, LA & Chicago - all have HUGE discrepancies between their livability and desirability rankings.

and "ouch" for the midwest, with 8 of the bottom 11 cities. in fact, chicago is the lone midwest city that even made it into the top half of the list. i gotta say i'm a tiny bit surprised that some of the "new midwest" cities like minneapolis, columbus, indy, KC and grand rapids didn't do a little bit better on this. as generally prosperous and solidly growing midwest MSAs i thought they'd at least have slightly better reps than the old stagnant rust belters, but not so much. they're all tainted with the midwest stigma just the same.

Crawford · #5 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:29 PM**

Fakenews! The Bay Area is nothing but poop and bums. Portland was burned down by Antifa.

DC should be higher, though. The only real negative to DC is that it's transient, so lacks a rootedness and local culture. But it has almost everything else in spades.

badrunner · #6 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:39 PM**

How does Jacksonville rate higher than Miami in desirability?

badrunner · #7 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimondpark

I find the contrast in scores very interesting. Los Angeles for example, ranks 126th in their livability ranking, yet LA is tied for 1st as far as where respondents desired to live.

Those numbers aren't unrelated. A lot of LA's livability issues (housing costs, traffic, homelessness, pollution) are ultimately due to its desirability (i.e. too many people wanting to live here). It's a victim of its own success.

C. · #8 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Desirablity Score, Metro Area(Overall Best Places to Live Rank)
7.9 Jacksonville(22)
7.8 Austin(5)
7.8 Boston(31)
7.7 Chicago(102)
7.6 Miami(128)
7.6 Nashville(30)
7.6 Raleigh(2)
7.5 Tampa(32)
7.5 Virginia Beach(105)
7.3 Phoenix(40)
https://realestate.usnews.com/places...gh_to_low=true

homebucket · #9 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 8:02 PM**

Seems like the ideal places would be those with both high desirability and high livability scores.

SF, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Austin, and Raleigh seem to stand out here.

Obadno · #10 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 8:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dimondpark

This is a survey whose results was included in the US News and World Report Ranking of Best Places to Live, which is actually by metro area.

https://realestate.usnews.com/places...gh_to_low=true

LA #1 ??? I can believe SF but LA? Come on.....

These rankings are always bullshit btw

The North One · #11 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 8:28 PM**

This is nothing but statistical noise. Like most of the crap US news produces.

Why does this spam get posted here?? And the "worst city in every state" thread? Seriously?

This place is just like City-Data. Urban 4chan. Insufferable.

JManc · #12 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 9:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by badrunner

How does Jacksonville rate higher than Miami in desirability?

Same reason Houston, Orlando, Charlotte along with Raleigh and Nashville who are tied with it are. People want a (relatively) affordable sunbelt metro with jobs and some things to do. Miami might be seen as over the top, like NYC, LA or SF. And expensive.

the urban politician · #13 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 9:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

the big 3 - NYC, LA & Chicago - all have HUGE discrepancies between their livability and desirability rankings.

and "ouch" for the midwest, with 8 of the bottom 11 cities. in fact, chicago is the lone midwest city that even made it into the top half of the list. i gotta say i'm a tiny bit surprised that some of the "new midwest" cities like minneapolis, columbus, indy, KC and grand rapids didn't do a little bit better on this. as generally prosperous and solidly growing midwest MSAs i thought they'd at least have slightly better reps than the old stagnant rust belters, but not so much. they're all tainted with the midwest stigma just the same.

That's cuz the midwest is full of gas stations, farmers, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and snowstorms

badrunner · #14 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Same reason Houston, Orlando, Charlotte along with Raleigh and Nashville who are tied with it are. People want a (relatively) affordable sunbelt metro with jobs and some things to do. Miami might be seen as over the top, like NYC, LA or SF. And expensive.

I thought maybe it was Jacksonville's stunning skyline that took it over the top.

badrunner · #15 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 9:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebucket

Seems like the ideal places would be those with both high desirability and high livability scores.

SF, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Austin, and Raleigh seem to stand out here.

And it's no coincidence that these smaller, fast growing, but still affordable metros are also the forum darlings here (maybe throw Nashville in there too).

JManc · #16 Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 10:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

That's cuz the midwest is full of gas stations, farmers, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and snowstorms

Best damn pecan pancakes anywhere.

Steely Dan · #17 Posted **Oct 22, 2021, 1:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

That's cuz the midwest is full of gas stations, farmers, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and snowstorms

well yeah, ANY midwest city is gonna lose some major desirability hit points just for suffering the great misfortune of simply existing within the dreaded midwest in the first place, but i wasn't expecting the "new midwest" cities to rank just as poorly on this metric as the old dogs, or even worse in many cases.

2010 - 2020 growth rates for 1M+ midwest MSAs:

"new midwest" cities:
columbus: +12.5%
indianapolis: +11.8%
minneapolis: +10.3%
grand rapids: +9.5%
kansas city: +9.1%

the pivot:
cincinnati: +5.6%

"rust belt" cities:
detroit: +2.2%
chicago: +1.7%
milwaukee: +1.2%
st. louis: +1.2%
cleveland: +0.5%

LA21st · #18 Posted **Oct 22, 2021, 3:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obadno

LA #1 ??? I can believe SF but LA? Come on.....

These rankings are always bullshit btw

Bullshit because you disagree?
I'm sure if Phoenix was in the top 5 you wouldn't say that.

dave8721 · #19 Posted **Oct 22, 2021, 5:08 AM**

Are these rankings based on some kind ideal scenario? Like if money is no object? I wouldn't mind having some beach front mansion in Malibu but what I could actually afford in the LA area wouldn't really appeal to me.
And Jacksonville stands out. If that many people want to live there, what's stopping them? Its cheap and its not like they are turning out down applications.

EastSideHBG · #20 Posted **Oct 22, 2021, 1:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Funny how politics can affect the views of so many people.

The DC area is probably one of the best places to live in the US.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

Fakenews! The Bay Area is nothing but poop and bums. Portland was burned down by Antifa.

DC should be higher, though. The only real negative to DC is that it's transient, so lacks a rootedness and local culture. But it has almost everything else in spades.

Agreed, and DC's cost of living is a negative for most folks also.