Best Cities to Live in America 2026 (Federal Data Ranked)

Most "best cities to live" lists rank on vibes. This one ranks on federal data. MoveScore blends six independent government data streams — crime, water, air, schools, municipal fiscal health, and hospital quality — into a single 0-100 composite. Here are the top 25 US cities for 2026.

Top 25 Cities by MoveScore

Rank	City	State	MoveScore	Grade
1	Rochester	MN	92	A
2	Delaware	OH	87	A
3	Provo	UT	83	A
4	Aurora	IL	82	A
5	Rogers	AR	82	A
6	Cincinnati	OH	81	A
7	Grand Island	NE	81	A
8	Missoula	MT	81	A
9	Olathe	KS	81	A
10	Fayetteville	AR	80	A
11	Green Bay	WI	80	A
12	Madison	WI	80	A
13	Chula Vista	CA	80	A
14	Elkhart	IN	80	A
15	Mount Pleasant	SC	80	A
16	Omaha	NE	79	B
17	Rapid City	SD	79	B
18	Spokane Valley	WA	79	B
19	San Jose	CA	78	B
20	Arlington	VA	78	B
21	Cary	NC	78	B
22	Denton	TX	78	B
23	Reno	NV	78	B
24	Miramar	FL	78	B
25	Santa Barbara	CA	78	B

What the Winners Share

No single weakness. A city in the top 25 doesn’t need to be #1 on any metric. It needs to avoid being terrible on any of them.
Clean water and breathable air. EPA violations and high AQI kill composites faster than moderate crime does.
Fiscal sustainability. Cities that spend within their means on the Census ASPEP report tend to fund schools and hospitals more reliably.
Hospital and school depth. Places with more rated hospitals and schools average higher — depth matters, not just peak quality.

How to Read This Ranking

A MoveScore is a starting point, not the answer. Families optimizing for public schools should weight the schools sub-score heavily; retirees should prioritize hospitals and air quality; remote workers with young kids may care most about crime and water. Drill into any city profile to see all six sub-scores individually.

Other Rankings Worth a Look

Best for Safety — FBI crime only
Best for Air Quality — EPA AQS only
Best for Public Schools — NCES/EDFacts only
Best for Hospital Care — CMS HCAHPS only

FAQ

What is the best city to live in America in 2026?

By composite MoveScore, Rochester, MN ranks #1 with a grade of A (92/100). Scores combine FBI crime, EPA water and air, NCES schools, Census fiscal health, and CMS hospital quality with equal weight.

How is the ranking calculated?

Each city receives up to six sub-scores normalized to 0-100: crime (FBI UCR), water (EPA SDWIS), air (EPA AQS), schools (NCES/EDFacts), municipal fiscal health (Census ASPEP), and hospital quality (CMS HCAHPS). The composite is the equal-weighted average of available sub-scores. A city needs at least three to be ranked.

Why trust this list over other "best cities" lists?

Every number traces to a federal government source. There is no survey data, no marketing input, and no paid placement. Formula and raw data are fully disclosed on the methodology page.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA SDWIS, EPA AQS, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS

Last updated: April 2026

Composite is the equal-weighted average of up to six federal sub-scores, each normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three available sub-scores to be ranked.