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Best Overall Cities

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top 100 Cities

  1. #1
    A

    Rochester, MN

    Best Overall Cities score 92 · MoveScore 92

  2. #2
    A

    Delaware, OH

    Best Overall Cities score 87 · MoveScore 87

  3. #3
    A

    Provo, UT

    Best Overall Cities score 83 · MoveScore 83

  4. #4
    A

    Aurora, IL

    Best Overall Cities score 82 · MoveScore 82

  5. #5
    A

    Rogers, AR

    Best Overall Cities score 82 · MoveScore 82

  6. #6
    A

    Cincinnati, OH

    Best Overall Cities score 81 · MoveScore 81

  7. #7
    A

    Grand Island, NE

    Best Overall Cities score 81 · MoveScore 81

  8. #8
    A

    Missoula, MT

    Best Overall Cities score 81 · MoveScore 81

  9. #9
    A

    Olathe, KS

    Best Overall Cities score 81 · MoveScore 81

  10. #10
    A

    Fayetteville, AR

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  11. #11
    A

    Green Bay, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  12. #12
    A

    Madison, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  13. #13
    A

    Chula Vista, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  14. #14
    A

    Elkhart, IN

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  15. #15
    A

    Mount Pleasant, SC

    Best Overall Cities score 80 · MoveScore 80

  16. #16
    B

    Omaha, NE

    Best Overall Cities score 79 · MoveScore 79

  17. #17
    B

    Rapid City, SD

    Best Overall Cities score 79 · MoveScore 79

  18. #18
    B

    Spokane Valley, WA

    Best Overall Cities score 79 · MoveScore 79

  19. #19
    B

    San Jose, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  20. #20
    B

    Arlington, VA

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  21. #21
    B

    Cary, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  22. #22
    B

    Denton, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  23. #23
    B

    Reno, NV

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  24. #24
    B

    Miramar, FL

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  25. #25
    B

    Santa Barbara, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  26. #26
    B

    Santa Cruz, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  27. #27
    B

    St. Louis, MO

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  28. #28
    B

    Twin Falls, ID

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  29. #29
    B

    Chattanooga, TN

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  30. #30
    B

    Edmond, OK

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  31. #31
    B

    Fremont, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  32. #32
    B

    Plano, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  33. #33
    B

    Alpharetta, GA

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  34. #34
    B

    Stockton, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  35. #35
    B

    Wichita, KS

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  36. #36
    B

    Aurora, CO

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  37. #37
    B

    Baton Rouge, LA

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  38. #38
    B

    Minneapolis, MN

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  39. #39
    B

    Santa Fe, NM

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  40. #40
    B

    Cambridge, MA

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  41. #41
    B

    College Station, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  42. #42
    B

    Milwaukee, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  43. #43
    B

    Broken Arrow, OK

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  44. #44
    B

    Eau Claire, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  45. #45
    B

    Houston, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  46. #46
    B

    Marietta, GA

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  47. #47
    B

    Overland Park, KS

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  48. #48
    B

    Scottsdale, AZ

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  49. #49
    B

    FORT MYERS, FL

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  50. #50
    B

    Nashville, TN

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  51. #51
    B

    Palm Bay, FL

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  52. #52
    B

    PARKER, CO

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  53. #53
    B

    Pasadena, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  54. #54
    B

    Frisco, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  55. #55
    B

    Hartford, CT

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  56. #56
    B

    Grand Rapids, MI

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  57. #57
    B

    Little Rock, AR

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  58. #58
    B

    Portland, OR

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  59. #59
    B

    Raleigh, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  60. #60
    B

    Topeka, KS

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  61. #61
    B

    Fargo, ND

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  62. #62
    B

    Huntersville, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  63. #63
    B

    Kansas City, KS

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  64. #64
    B

    Lexington, KY

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  65. #65
    B

    Medford, OR

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  66. #66
    B

    Sarasota, FL

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  67. #67
    B

    Charlotte, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  68. #68
    B

    Oklahoma City, OK

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  69. #69
    B

    Racine, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  70. #70
    B

    Billings, MT

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  71. #71
    B

    Kirkland, WA

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  72. #72
    B

    Roanoke, VA

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  73. #73
    B

    Waukesha, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  74. #74
    B

    Woodland, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  75. #75
    B

    Bend, OR

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  76. #76
    B

    Boston, MA

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  77. #77
    B

    North Las Vegas, NV

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  78. #78
    B

    Orlando, FL

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  79. #79
    B

    Virginia Beach, VA

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  80. #80
    B

    Westminster, CO

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  81. #81
    B

    Eugene, OR

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  82. #82
    B

    La Crosse, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  83. #83
    B

    LONGMONT, CO

    Best Overall Cities score 72 · MoveScore 72

  84. #84
    B

    Durham, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  85. #85
    B

    Anchorage, AK

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  86. #86
    B

    Charleston, SC

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  87. #87
    B

    Greenville, SC

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  88. #88
    B

    Kenosha, WI

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  89. #89
    B

    Memphis, TN

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  90. #90
    B

    Naperville, IL

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  91. #91
    B

    Oakland, CA

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  92. #92
    B

    Austin, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  93. #93
    B

    Honolulu, HI

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  94. #94
    B

    Irving, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  95. #95
    B

    Killeen, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  96. #96
    B

    Lewisville, TX

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  97. #97
    B

    Nampa, ID

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  98. #98
    B

    Winston-Salem, NC

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  99. #99
    B

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Best Overall Cities score 70 · MoveScore 70

  100. #100
    B

    Birmingham, AL

    Best Overall Cities score 70 · MoveScore 70

Browse by State

Best Overall Cities ranked within each state.

Overall Cities in AlabamaOverall Cities in AlaskaOverall Cities in ArizonaOverall Cities in ArkansasOverall Cities in CaliforniaOverall Cities in ColoradoOverall Cities in ConnecticutOverall Cities in District of ColumbiaOverall Cities in FloridaOverall Cities in GeorgiaOverall Cities in HawaiiOverall Cities in IdahoOverall Cities in IllinoisOverall Cities in IndianaOverall Cities in IowaOverall Cities in KansasOverall Cities in KentuckyOverall Cities in LouisianaOverall Cities in MarylandOverall Cities in MassachusettsOverall Cities in MichiganOverall Cities in MinnesotaOverall Cities in MississippiOverall Cities in MissouriOverall Cities in MontanaOverall Cities in NebraskaOverall Cities in NevadaOverall Cities in New HampshireOverall Cities in New JerseyOverall Cities in New MexicoOverall Cities in New YorkOverall Cities in North CarolinaOverall Cities in North DakotaOverall Cities in OhioOverall Cities in OklahomaOverall Cities in OregonOverall Cities in PennsylvaniaOverall Cities in Rhode IslandOverall Cities in South CarolinaOverall Cities in South DakotaOverall Cities in TennesseeOverall Cities in TexasOverall Cities in UtahOverall Cities in VirginiaOverall Cities in WashingtonOverall Cities in West VirginiaOverall Cities in WisconsinOverall Cities in Wyoming

Other Rankings

Best for Safety

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the top-ranked US city for cities?

The top-ranked city on Best Overall Cities is Rochester, MN with a sub-score of 92/100. All rankings use federal government data only.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100, then cities are ordered from highest to lowest. See the methodology page for the full formula.

Where does the data come from?

MoveScore blends six federal data streams: FBI UCR, EPA SDWIS, EPA AQS, NCES CCD + EDFacts, Census ASPEP, and CMS HCAHPS. A city is included only if at least three of the six sources have a record for it.

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

Ranking uses the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100.