The best places to live in the US each have their own distinct personality. From low-key cities on the California coast and friendly Midwestern metropolises to glamorous beach enclaves in Florida and cultural hubs on the East Coast, the possibilities are seemingly endless.
But with hundreds of cities and towns stretching from sea to shining sea, how can US travelers and residents begin to narrow them down? If you’re considering your next move, The Economist Group‘s research division has calculated the best places to live in the US as part of its Global Liveability Index, an annual ranking that quantifies some of the metrics that contribute to a place’s overall quality of life.
The new study from the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranks 173 cities across 30 indicators in five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Each city is then given a weighted score out of 100. Although no US cities made it onto the global top 10 list of best places to live, American cities made a strong showing within the top 50 around the world.
In fact, all of the top 10 US cities are ranked among the worldwide 50 best places to live. “Smaller American cities continue to be the best places to live in the US,” says EIU’s report. Every US city in the index had a score above 80 points, “placing them in the highest livebility tier and in the top half of the global rankings overall,” the report says.
Despite receiving high marks for infrastructure, culture, and environment, US cities on the whole have categories where they could see improvement, according to EIU. “Structural challenges persist across US cities, including weak gun-control laws and the high cost of healthcare, which continue to weigh on overall scores,” the report says.
Counting down, here are the 10 best places to live in the US in 2026, according to the Global Liveability Index.
