2 MD Towns Among Best Places To Live, New Ranking Says

MARYLAND — Two Maryland towns are among the most livable places in the country, according to a new report based on factors such as cost of living, lifestyle amenities and community spirit.

The towns were ranked on the apartment search website Rent Cafe’s 20 most livable metro areas. The report analyzed 139 metro areas across 17 different metrics using data from the American Community Survey, Census Bureau and USDA, among other sources.

Baltimore ranked 28th overall; 65th in socioeconomic, 23rd in quality of life, and 61st in location and community.

Salisbury on the Eastern Shore ranked 73rd overall; 45th in socioeconomic, 92nd in quality of life, and 52nd in location and community.

Nearby Washington, D.C., ranked 7th overall, plus 73rd in socioeconomic, 4th in quality of life, and 26th in location and community.

• Related: MD's Best Public High Schools Ranked In New Analysis

Cities in the Midwest dominated the list, claiming nine of the top 20 spots, seven in the top 10 and four in the top five. Here’s the full list:

1. Portland, Maine
2. Lincoln, Nebraska
3. Des Moines, Iowa
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Ann Arbor, Michigan
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
9. Green Bay, Wisconsin
10. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
11. Manchester, New Hampshire
12. Madison, Wisconsin
13. Albany, New York
14. Colorado Springs, Colorado
15. Omaha, Nebraska
16. Indianapolis, Indiana
17. Boston, Massachusetts
18. San Francisco, California
19. Providence, Rhode Island
20. Seattle, Washington