The 15 best cities to live in 2026 all have one thing in common: they’re cheaper
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Affordability is more important than ever when choosing where to live.
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US News & World Report ranked the best places to live, and getting a deal done was a high priority.
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One Midwestern city took the top spot, but the Sun Belt performed strongly on the list.
Choosing the city to live in is a personal decision, but increasingly expensive housing market, affordability is more important than ever.
“Every year we ask consumers what they are looking for in a place to live, and this year the vast majority of consumers stated they were looking for value and affordability“They even said they were looking for affordability rather than quality of life and desirability,” Erika Giovanetti, consumer credit analyst at US News & World Report, told Business Insider.
US News and World Report analyzed more than 850 U.S. cities and ranked them based on four key indices: value, quality of lifedesirability and the job market. This year’s rankings differ from previous years in that they are given a higher weighting than other categories.
“Education, college readiness, access to healthcare — these all fall under quality of life, but this year consumers are really feeling it in their wallets and are willing to make sacrifices when it comes to finding a more affordable place to live,” Giovanetti said of the rationale.
If it’s the midwest As it has become the most affordable region in the country, the majority of those on U.S. News’ list of best cities to live in the southern states.
Giovanetti noted that although affordability was a key factor this year, the cities at the top of the list were those that showed balance in all key categories. For example, Johns Creek, Georgia finished first in the race. last year’s rankingbut this year it fell to fifth place because it is more expensive than other cities.
“Johns Creek ranks 232nd for value, which isn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things, but it’s one of the higher-priced cities at the top of our list,” he said.
Below are the best places to live in the United States, according to US News & World Report.
15. Buffalo Grove, IL
Population: 41,765
Median home value: $380,110
Median household income: $135,543
14. Parkland, Florida
Population: 36,938
Median home value: $896,250
Median household income: $223,200
13. League City, Texas
Population: 109,083
Median home value: $344,265
Median household income: $123,032
12. Troy, MI
Population: 90,584
Median home value: $396,774
Median household income: $120,757
11. Cary, North Carolina
Population: 182,416
Median home value: $570,890
