2 MD Cities Ranked Among Best Places To Live: U.S. News

MARYLAND — Two Maryland cities are among the 2023-2024 Best Places to Live in the country, according to a ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News and World Report.

The new list evaluates the 150 biggest U.S. metropolitan areas based on value, competitiveness of the job market and quality of life.

Salisbury was No. 82 this year, up from No. 115 last year.

Baltimore was No. 116, down from No. 84 in 2022.

Salisbury and Baltimore are the only Maryland cities that have made the list in either of the past two years.

U.S. News pointed to Salisbury University and the National Folk Festival as some of its favorite things about “The Crossroads of Delmarva.” The lower crime rate and the affordable homes within city limits were other highlights.

"While Salisbury continues to grow as the hub of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware metropolitan area, it has never lost touch with the small-town feel fitting of a place that remains predominantly rural," U.S. News said on Salibury's ranking page.

Rankers appreciated Baltimore's cultural and entertainment offerings.

Little Italy and Greektown were some of their favorite neighborhoods. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Hippodrome Theatre and art museums were among the notable institutions named. The Orioles and the Ravens also earned the city points.

Rankers additionally cited the cheaper living costs compared to nearby Washington, D.C.

The list noted, however, that Baltimore's violent crime rate is higher than comparable metros.

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

For the first time this year, U.S. News added methodology to measure a place’s strengths and weaknesses. The desirability index takes into consideration the number of days a year the temperature falls from 33 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit, and an establishment-to-population ratio, which assesses the number of restaurants, bars and activities per 1,000 people.

Also this year, U.S. News moved its net migration category to the desirability index. And the value index, which previously focused only on housing affordability, now includes price parity — a U.S. Census data point on the general cost of goods within an area.

“This year’s rankings are a reflection of the current economic, social and natural factors that impact a place’s livability for its residents,” Devon Thorsby, real estate editor at U.S. News, said in a press release.

“People are considering more than housing when they look at an area’s affordability — they want to know how much goods cost in that area,” Thorsby said. “The ever-present risk for severe weather and a community’s ability to recover — coupled with the area’s opportunities for social activities — are also taken into account when evaluating a best place to live.”

This year, Green Bay, Wisconsin, moved up two positions in the ranking to No. 1, due to its strong value and quality of life scores. Huntsville, Alabama, moved down to No. 2. At No. 8, Charlotte, North Carolina, moved up 20 spots, and No. 6 Naples, Florida, re-entered the Top 10 after falling off last year.

Some places saw double-digit drops and fell out of the top 50. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, fell a steep 81 spots this year, coming in at 113 from 32, with lower scores across the index.

Seattle, Washington, saw an increase in its job market score, but declines in its quality of life, desirability and value scores resulted in a 45-spot drop in this year's ranking. Consequently, Seattle came in at No. 81, down from No. 36 last year. Kalamazoo, Michigan, saw a sharp drop, falling 40 spots from No. 50 to No. 90. While it only slightly decreased in value, it scored on the moderate/lower end of desirability and job market.

U.S. News based its ranking on data from the National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Census Bureau, the FBI, the Labor Bureau, Sharecare, and its own rankings on the nation’s best high schools and best hospitals.