Where Baltimore Ranks In Best Places To Live: US News

BALTIMORE, MD — If you look beyond the political turmoil and crime that flares up at times, the history, culture and cuisine of Baltimore makes it a great city to call home. Whether you're a sports fan, a seafood lover, or a history buff, Charm City has plenty to offer.

Baltimore is the 100th best place to live among America’s 125 largest metro areas. That’s according to a new report published Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report. The news and information publisher determined the rankings based on factors such as quality of life, job market, value of living there and desire to live there.

Here's what US News says of Baltimore:

"Baltimore doesn't have as many famous tourist attractions as nearby metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, and residents like it that way. The Baltimore metropolitan area's population of nearly 2.8 million has grown in recent years, but it still has a small-town feel. Locals like to say that you can't go anywhere in "Smalltimore" without seeing someone you know.

Baltimore's elegant architecture, friendly people and lively pockets of nightlife and music make Charm City a pleasant and fun place to call home. The metro area also boasts a rapidly growing restaurant scene that goes beyond the city's famous crab cakes, pit beef and Berger cookies.

Baltimore is home to a variety of communities that are concentrated in the city's individual neighborhoods, several dozen of which are designated as historic districts. Walking through these distinct areas provides a glimpse into the city's worldly population. Little Italy, located near the Inner Harbor, and Greektown, on the east side, both showcase their residents' heritages in eateries and shops."

SEE ALSO:

• One Baltimore Hospital Among 10 Best In World: Newsweek
• Baltimore Ranked Among Top Foodie Hotspots
• Maryland's 200 Best Places To Live For 2019 Ranked: New Report
• 2 Baltimore Bars Make 'The Best Bars In America 2019' List

The report only ranks the 125 most populous metro areas. Most of the top 25 are located in the middle of the country, though the tech boom has benefited the Pacific Northwest, too.

Austin ranked as the best place to live for the third year in a row, followed by two Colorado cities. Interestingly, the Northeast was notably lacking at the top of the list. Washington, D.C., ranked 19th and several Virginia cities made the list, led by Richmond at No. 53.

“Our Northeastern cities, which are epicenters of higher education and economic development, are not growing nearly as much as places in Florida, California and Texas,” Devon Thorsby, real estate editor at U.S. News, said in a release. “Plus, they are expensive to live in. Top-ranked places have the characteristics people are looking for, including steady job growth, affordability and a high quality of life.”

Here are the top 10 places to live in 2019:

1. Austin, TX
2. Denver, CO
3. Colorado Springs, CO
4. Fayetteville, AR
5. Des Moines, IA
6. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Portland, OR
9. Seattle, WA
10. Raleigh and Durham, NC

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico that was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, ranked last. Five California metro areas also fell in the bottom 10. They were: Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno and Salinas.

Other major metros at the bottom of the list include Memphis, New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

Quality of life and value received the most weight in the rankings. The authors created indexes for both using metrics such as crime rates, quality of health care and education, median household income, proportion of homeowners with a mortgage, and yearly housing costs. Click here to read the full methodology.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.