Philadelphia

Philly Cracks Top 100 (Barely) in Best Places to Live in U.S. List

'U.S. News analyzed the 150 most populous metro areas to find the best places to live,' the publication said

Trees blooming in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square
Jumping Rocks/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Philadelphia and six other Pennsylvania cities are ranked in the Top 100 on U.S. News and World Report's list of the Best Places to Live in the U.S. for 2022, with all but one moving up more than 10 spots from last year, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal.

After narrowly missing the cut in 2021, Philadelphia (No. 99), Scranton (No. 89) and Reading (No. 74) staked their claims among the Top 100. Philadelphia's "eclectic mix of modern lifestyles" and its affordability helped its efforts. Those newcomers to the Top 100 joined Pittsburgh – the highest-ranked Pennsylvania metro area – at No. 26, Harrisburg at No. 35, Lancaster at No. 61, and York at No. 92.

Allentown, at No. 111, was the only metro in the commonwealth to drop from its spot on the 2021-22 list, when it ranked at No. 108, reports PBJ.com.

The 2022-23 list, released Tuesday, ranked 150 U.S. metro areas using indexes for jobs, housing affordability, quality of life, desirability, and net migration to calculate each city's standing. U.S. News gathers data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, and its own internal sources.

Pennsylvania cities have continuously moved up the U.S. News rankings of the nation's best places to live. Pittsburgh jumped to No. 26 from No. 71 last year and No. 77 the year prior. It was also named the sixth-best U.S. city to live based on affordability.

Pittsburgh leap-frogged Harrisburg to become the highest-ranked Pennsylvania city after the state capital held the title for two straight years. Still, Harrisburg moved up 26 spots from its No. 61 ranking in 2021.

Check out PBJ.com for a look at just how far Pennsylvania metro areas have moved up the list.

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