Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
NWA one of the top places to live in the country
Fayetteville ranked No. 5 in recent list
Fayetteville has transformed from a small town to a center of higher education.
Fayetteville, Ark., was just named the fifth best place to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice. The list ranks the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life.
Coming in first on the list was Austin, Texas, bumping Denver, Colo., down to No. 2. San Jose, Calif., made a significant climb from the No. 10 spot all the way up to No. 3, while Washington, D.C., moved up four spots to No. 4. Fayetteville rounds out the top 5.
The 2017 Best Places to Live were determined in part by a public survey of thousands of individuals across the U.S. to find out what qualities they consider important in a home town. The methodology also factors in data from the United States Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as the U.S. News rankings of the Best High Schools and Best Hospitals.
Located in a region that’s experiencing drastic growth, Fayetteville has transformed from a small town to a center of higher education, culture, commerce, and entrepreneurialism. With a favorability score of 7.3 out of 10, Fayetteville scored high due to quality of life, the job market, value, desirability, and net migration. Fayetteville holds an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent — better than the current national
average (4.4 percent).
Fayetteville attracts many outdoorsy types with its abundance of state parks, acres of community green space, playgrounds, parks and walking trails, and environmentally conscious attributes.
“When considering a move, people are concerned about finding a job in their field, earning enough to afford a home, sending their kids to good schools and feeling like a part of their community,” said Kim Castro, executive editor at U.S. News. “The Best Places to Live ranking takes all of that into account — the metro areas that do well are the ones with the strong job markets and high quality of life.”
The following are the Top 10 Best Places to Live, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report: 1.) Austin, Texas.
2.) Denver, Colo.
3.) San Jose, Calif.
4.) Washington, D.C.
5.) Fayetteville, Ark.
6.) Seattle, Wash.
7.) Raleigh and Durham, N.C.
8.) Boston, Mass.
9.) Des Moines, Iowa.
10.) Salt Lake City, Utah.
See the full rankings at usnews.com/info/blogs/press-room/articles/2017-02-07/usnews-unveils-the-2017-best-places-to-live.