About one in every five American workers whose job could be performed remotely worked from home before the COVID-19 pandemic. That share jumped to nearly three in four following the abrupt closure of offices nationwide, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2020. For millions of Americans, the shift to remote work is now permanent, and the new dynamic means they are no longer tied to a specific city for their job and can choose a place to live based on other factors, including quality of life -- which varies considerably in the United States.
Affordability, access to public spaces and services, the presence of entertainment and cultural amenities, crime rates, and socioeconomic conditions are just a few of the factors that can influence quality of life in a given city or town.
24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 25 measures in four main categories - economy, affordability, quality of life, and community - using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and other sources to identify the best city to live in each state. We considered all boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages with at least 8,000 residents.
Burlingame, California, is a small city along the west coast of the San Francisco Bay. The city ranks as the best place to live in the state largely because of its residents' financial prosperity. Most area households earn over $128,000 a year, compared to the state median of $75,235. Unemployment is also relatively low in the area. The strong job market and high incomes are both supported by a high concentration of biotech companies in the area. Local residents also have access to jobs in and around the San Francisco and Silicon Valley areas.
Quality of life in Burlingame is also bolstered by a high per capita concentration of places like restaurants, hotels, and fitness centers. Nearly 100% of those living in Burlingame and the broader San Mateo County, where the city is located, have access to public places for exercise such as parks, compared to less than 85% of all Americans.
Our index is composed of data across four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community. Data is all for the most recent year available and came from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, The Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other sources. This is the best city to live in every state.
Place | Population | Median home value ($) | Median household income ($) | 5-yr. avg. unemployment (%) |
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Alabama: Hoover | 85,175 | 291,000 | 89,452 | 3.3 |
Alaska: Juneau | 32,227 | 345,900 | 88,390 | 4.6 |
Arizona: Paradise Valley | 14,362 | 1,516,200 | 211,393 | 2.1 |
Arkansas: Lowell | 9,175 | 157,600 | 68,438 | 1.0 |
California: Burlingame | 30,576 | 1,901,900 | 128,447 | 4.7 |
Colorado: Durango | 18,588 | 463,700 | 66,160 | 4.8 |
Connecticut: Darien | 21,742 | 1,471,700 | 232,523 | 4.9 |
Delaware: Smyrna | 11,484 | 206,400 | 67,277 | 5.4 |
Florida: Key Biscayne | 12,915 | 1,211,000 | 151,310 | 5.3 |
Georgia: Sandy Springs | 107,072 | 471,800 | 78,613 | 3.0 |
Hawaii: Urban Honolulu | 348,985 | 683,000 | 71,465 | 3.7 |
Idaho: Meridian | 101,905 | 274,900 | 71,389 | 3.7 |
Illinois: Winnetka | 12,428 | 1,091,700 | 250,000+ | 2.4 |
Indiana: Carmel | 97,464 | 333,200 | 112,765 | 2.5 |
Iowa: North Liberty | 18,829 | 220,800 | 83,949 | 1.1 |
Kansas: Leawood | 34,670 | 463,200 | 157,515 | 2.7 |
Kentucky: Fort Mitchell | 8,257 | 272,200 | 67,745 | 0.5 |
Louisiana: Harahan | 9,304 | 240,300 | 66,741 | 3.6 |
Maine: Portland | 66,595 | 289,000 | 60,467 | 2.8 |
Maryland: Takoma Park | 17,672 | 583,800 | 84,591 | 5.6 |
Massachusetts: Brookline | 59,180 | 933,200 | 117,326 | 2.8 |
Michigan: Royal Oak | 59,195 | 224,600 | 81,665 | 3.2 |
Minnesota: Edina | 51,746 | 476,300 | 104,244 | 3.1 |
Mississippi: Byram | 11,578 | 141,700 | 66,641 | 2.2 |
Missouri: Ladue | 8,601 | 831,800 | 214,875 | 1.3 |
Montana: Belgrade | 8,685 | 243,200 | 59,146 | 2.9 |
Nebraska: Papillion | 20,423 | 189,900 | 80,619 | 2.5 |
Nevada: Reno | 246,500 | 335,000 | 58,790 | 5.4 |
New Hampshire: Portsmouth | 21,775 | 425,600 | 83,923 | 2.1 |
New Jersey: Hoboken | 53,193 | 720,700 | 147,620 | 3.0 |
New Mexico: Corrales | 8,588 | 447,600 | 85,580 | 2.8 |
New York: Rye | 15,820 | 1,392,100 | 192,688 | 4.1 |
North Carolina: Davidson | 12,735 | 448,300 | 124,853 | 2.8 |
North Dakota: West Fargo | 35,397 | 241,000 | 85,120 | 1.5 |
Ohio: Bay Village | 15,325 | 247,900 | 103,582 | 1.3 |
Oklahoma: Bixby | ` | 223,900 | 83,119 | 2.9 |
Oregon: Sherwood | 19,625 | 405,900 | 103,512 | 1.8 |
Pennsylvania: Wyomissing | 10,473 | 245,600 | 81,178 | 4.3 |
Rhode Island: Newport | 24,663 | 448,800 | 67,102 | 5.2 |
South Carolina: Mount Pleasant | 86,982 | 461,000 | 103,232 | 2.1 |
South Dakota: Brandon | 9,934 | 225,200 | 87,250 | 1.6 |
Tennessee: Brentwood | 42,407 | 655,400 | 168,688 | 2.6 |
Texas: Highland Park | 9,168 | 1,508,900 | 211,136 | 1.4 |
Utah: South Jordan | 71,198 | 405,400 | 104,597 | 1.6 |
Vermont: South Burlington | 19,162 | 307,500 | 73,065 | 3.7 |
Virginia: Vienna | 16,489 | 743,500 | 161,196 | 2.4 |
Washington: Mercer Island | 25,675 | 1,218,200 | 147,566 | 4.0 |
West Virginia: Weirton | 18,670 | 94,800 | 49,496 | 6.6 |
Wisconsin: Middleton | 19,487 | 336,900 | 76,011 | 2.5 |
Wyoming: Cheyenne | 63,607 | 214,300 | 64,598 | 5.4 |