Study: Raleigh ranks 12th, Durham 25th, among 1,000+ cities as a best place to live

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Raleigh is the 12th best place to live, according to a new study by Livability.com.

That’s due to Raleigh’s “plentiful jobs, a strong economy, a high quality of life and great health care,” the report notes.

The study, conducted by Livability.com in partnership with Ipsos, involved surveying more than 1,000 people from more than cities with populations between 20,000 and 1 million people, according to the study’s description of its methodology.

This year’s study had an added inclusion to its methodology: survey respondents were asked about the most important factors in a community, if they would work from anywhere.  The survey publisher also noted that respondents were asked how housing needs and priorities changed since March 2020, and notes that more than 42% of Americans have either moved or considered moving during that time.

In total, 50 data points factored into each town’s or city’s “Livscore,” including economic factors, housing metrics, amenities and access, infrastructure, demographics, health care, and education, then weighted against the survey conducted by Ipsos using “public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Emsi and Esri,” the publication states.

Madison, Wisconsin ranked first overall, with a Livscore of 790.

Raleigh’s Livscore was 728, trailing Corvalis, Oregon at 733 and beating out Omaha, Nebraska at 727.

Asheville ranked in the top 20, finishing ranked #19 with a Livscore of 718.

“An artsy city that brews fantastic beer and is home to award-winning chefs, two of its traits making Asheville one of the best places to live in the U.S.,” the publication notes about Asheville’s ranking.

Durham ranked 25th, one spot below Boise, Idaho, and one spot ahead of Tampa, Florida, though each of the three cities were ranked with a Livscore of 712.

“An entrepreneurial and business-friendly economy, a thriving food and beverage scene, and a rich arts and culture community,” the study notes about Durham’s ranking, also noting the quality of education and health care in the region.

Original Source: WRAL TechWire