Taking into account affordability, safety, well-being, and convenience, we ranked all 50 U.S. state capitals to determine the best places to live. The final score was calculated using key metrics: median home price, home price growth, median household income, walk score, transit score, safety index, and air quality. Each metric was normalized and weighted to reflect its importance in assessing overall livability.
City | Final Ranking | Home Price | 1-Year Growth % | Median Household Income | Rank: Walk & Transit | Rank: Safety & Air | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Annapolis, MD | 1st | $485,000 | 8.9% | $104,257 | 18 | 23 |
2 | Montpelier, VT | 2nd | $356,000 | −2.5% | $79,175 | 15 | 3 |
3 | Nashville, TN | 3rd | $421,500 | 1.9% | $80,217 | 1 | 45 |
4 | Juneau, AK | 4th | $509,285 | −0.7% | $100,513 | 38 | 18 |
5 | Boise, ID | 5th | $491,800 | 1.2% | $79,977 | 3 | 3 |
6 | Atlanta, GA | 6th | $382,900 | 1.0% | $85,880 | 13 | 47 |
7 | Springfield, IL | 7th | $191,000 | 12.3% | $63,849 | 28 | 25 |
8 | Saint Paul, MN | 8th | $393,400 | 1.4% | $73,975 | 4 | 35 |
9 | Austin, TX | 9th | $481,800 | −0.8% | $91,501 | 21 | 44 |
10 | Pierre, SD | 10th | $346,225 | 21.5% | $74,053 | 33 | 8 |
11 | Boston, MA | 11th | $758,700 | 1.8% | $96,931 | 2 | 12 |
12 | Bismarck, ND | 12th | $314,500 | 7.3% | $75,846 | 45 | 16 |
13 | Lincoln, NE | 13th | $303,400 | 2.5% | $68,050 | 29 | 13 |
14 | Albany, NY | 14th | $330,300 | 5.5% | $61,390 | 8 | 14 |
15 | Jefferson City, MO | 15th | $247,950 | 10.2% | $67,205 | 49 | 9 |
16 | Raleigh, NC | 16th | $472,300 | −1.3% | $86,309 | 33 | 32 |
17 | Charleston, WV | 17th | $192,700 | 1.2% | $64,512 | 46 | 30 |
18 | Concord, NH | 18th | $476,500 | 5.9% | $83,701 | 50 | 2 |
19 | Oklahoma City, OK | 19th | $261,500 | 4.1% | $67,015 | 37 | 39 |
20 | Salem, OR | 20th | $449,900 | −1.4% | $72,827 | 25 | 7 |
21 | Richmond, VA | 21st | $425,800 | 6.0% | $65,650 | 16 | 20 |
22 | Des Moines, IA | 22nd | $304,900 | 2.5% | $60,882 | 23 | 19 |
23 | Lansing, MI | 23rd | $234,900 | 3.4% | $55,197 | 20 | 28 |
24 | Sacramento, CA | 24th | $560,000 | 3.3% | $85,928 | 18 | 43 |
25 | Denver, CO | 25th | $654,600 | −2.7% | $94,157 | 10 | 50 |