Portland, Lincoln, and Des Moines Lead in Livability Rankings

As landlords and developers try to figure out the kinds of cities renters really want to live in, the answer may boil down to just one word: Livability. But determining what makes a city desirable in a world driven by data, not opinion, requires both cold, hard facts and an appreciation of the intangible factors like green space, cultural offerings, good food, and community spirit that enrich daily life.

A new report from RentCafe on the most livable places in the U.S. in 2024 tries to address both aspects based on an analysis of 139 metros using 17 key metrics. Scores for each city were weighted within three categories: socioeconomics, location and community, and quality of life.

Socioeconomics encompassed cost of living, income growth rate, poverty rate, unemployment rate, and income inequality ratio. Location and community focused on the share of higher educated residents, the share of long commutes, social association rate, the share of severe housing problems, and the ratio of arts, entertainment and recreation venues. Quality of life was weighed according to the number of physically or mentally unhealthy days, food index, access to exercise opportunities, physically inactive residents, the share of uninsured, and the ratio of healthcare providers.

Based on these measures, Portland, ME emerged as the overall most livable city in the U.S. It ranked 11th for socioeconomics, 5th for quality of life, and 5th for location and community, and was said to be perfect for “fitness enthusiasts, foodies and young professionals looking for a lifestyle that promotes a work/life balance.”

Lincoln, NE came in second. It ranked 16th for socioeconomics, 20th for quality of life, and 2nd for location and community, and was described as “the perfect spot for those who enjoy meeting up with friends for brunch or scheduling a fun weekend outing.” Like many of the other cities in the highest rankings, Lincoln also enjoyed a cost of living below the national average. Third-placed Des Moines, IA had the distinction of earning the highest place in the nation for location and community. It also ranked 12th for socioeconomics and 37th for quality of life.

Other cities in the top 10 were Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, Ann Arbor, MI, Milwaukee, WI, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, PA, Green Bay, WI, and Harrisburg, PA. The remaining cities in the top 20 were Manchester, NH, Madison, WI, Albany, NY, Colorado Springs, CO, Omaha, NE, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, San Francisco, CA, Providence, RI, and Seattle, WA. At 23.2%, Portland had the lowest share of renters. The highest share, 43%, was in San Francisco.

The report noted that three of the top 20 cities overall were in Wisconsin, and nine of the top 20 were in the Midwest. Seven of the highest-ranked cities were in the Northeast. None – with the possible exception of Washington, DC – was in the South.

Ranked by socioeconomic factors, four of the top five most livable metros were in the West, with three in Utah such as Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City. Boise City, ID, also made the cut. Rounding out the top five was the Midwest’s Green Bay.

By quality of life, the distribution of cities was more varied. San Francisco ranked highest, followed by Ann Arbor, Boston, Milwaukee, Washington, DC, and Portland, ME.

“The people make the place, and this is especially true when it comes to tightly knit communities,” the report commented. By location and community, top ranking went to Des Moines, followed by Lincoln, the two Pennsylvania cities Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, and Portland.