Tourists love New York. New York has the most restaurants and coffee shops, it’s the safest city to live in and the number one city when it comes to quality of life. However, New York is only number 10 of the best city to live in the United States. Oklahoma City is the most affordable city, New York the most expensive city in the United States. The number one city in the U.S. is Seattle, Washington.
Many Americans prefer to reside in rural areas, but far more call cities their homes. Though urban settings are less than 3 percent of the U.S. landmass, they contain around 80 percent of the total U.S. population.
| Best Big Cities to Live in | ||||
| 1 | Seattle, WA | 11 | Minneapolis, MN | |
| 2 | Virginia Beach, VA | 12 | Denver, CO | |
| 3 | Austin, TX | 13 | Las Vegas, NV | |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | 14 | Raleigh, NC | |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | 15 | Mesa, AZ | |
| 6 | Honolulu, HI | 16 | Tampa, FL | |
| 7 | Portland, OR | 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | 18 | Washington, DC | |
| 9 | Colorado Springs, CO | 19 | Omaha, NE | |
| 10 | New York, NY | 20 | Charlotte, NC | |
- Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the highest homeownership rate, 63.18 percent, which is 2.1 times higher than in Miami, the city with the lowest at 30.53 percent.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the lowest share of residents living in poverty, 8.2 percent, which is 4.8 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 39.4 percent.
- San Francisco has the lowest median debt rate (per median earnings), 14.70 percent, which is 5.7 times lower than in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the city with the highest at 83.32 percent.
- Wichita, Kansas, has the shortest average commute time, 18.2 minutes, which is 2.2 times shorter than in New York, the city with the longest at 40.3 minutes.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the fewest violent crimes (per 1,000 residents), 1.55, which is 13.2 times less than in Detroit, the city with the most at 20.47.
There are many factors that make highly-populated areas great to live in. Big cities represent opportunity, economic and otherwise, which appeals to people of all walks of life – especially young professionals seeking advancement in their careers and social lives. Another main draw is easy access to diverse dining and entertainment options that are comparatively scarce in more rural settings.
But big-city life requires tradeoffs, too. Higher cost of living is a concern, along with pollution, traffic delays and limited living space. Each major U.S. city has a unique set of issues, to go along with its own character and charm. However, some big cities tackle their problems and emphasize their strengths more efficiently than others.
SOURCE: WalletHub
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