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Best Overall Cities in New York

6 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in New York

  1. #1
    C

    New York

    Best Overall Cities score 66 · MoveScore 66

  2. #2
    C

    Albany

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  3. #3
    C

    Buffalo

    Best Overall Cities score 60 · MoveScore 60

  4. #4
    D

    Rochester

    Best Overall Cities score 58 · MoveScore 58

  5. #5
    D

    SYRACUSE

    Best Overall Cities score 55 · MoveScore 55

  6. #6
    D

    Yonkers

    Best Overall Cities score 50 · MoveScore 50

Other New York Rankings

Best for Safety in New York

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

Best for Water Quality in New York

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

Best for Air Quality in New York

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

Best for Public Schools in New York

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

Best Fiscal Health in New York

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

Best for Hospital Care in New York

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in New York ranks highest for best overall cities?

New York, NY ranks #1 in New York for best overall cities with a sub-score of 66/100 (MoveScore 66, grade C).

How many cities in New York are compared?

6 New York cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

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

New York-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.