NYC Doesn't Hold A Candle To Alabama, Says New 'Best Places' Ranking

NEW YORK CITY — Who wants to live in New York City when Huntsville, Alabama, exists?

That's the question more or less posed by U.S. News' 2022-2023 ranking of "Best Places To Live" in the nation.

Huntsville, Alabama, snagged the number one spot on the 150 metro area-long list.

New York City, meanwhile, fell far, far behind.

The city is 120th on the list, behind not only Huntsville, but also other large city peers such as San Francisco, ranked 10th, and Chicago, which stands at 79th.

"New York City is known for its fast-paced, around-the-clock lifestyle, which may be overwhelming for newcomers," the ranking states, in what reads as a half-hearted explanation.

So, how did Huntsville — a city in a state with racism still enshrined in its constitution — rank so high and New York City so low?

The ranking looked at several factors, including job market, housing affordability and quality of life.

New York City may rank as the top U.S. travel destination for international travelers and boast the best (or third-best) pizza — among many, many other accolades — but U.S. News found it scored poorly on, well, actually living here.

The value of living in the Big Apple and migration into the city stood, respectively, at 4.2 and 4 out of 10, according to the ranking.

The city's overall score was 5.9.

New York is arguably the greatest city in the world, but it also is one with smog, traffic, heat, an annoying level of fireworks, potential monkeypox and an assortment of other issues.

Huntsville, by contrast, had its value scored at 8.5 and garnered respective scores on its job market, quality of life and net migration. Desirability, however, stood at 4.9.

But, overall, Huntsville garnered an overall rating of 7.

"Huntsville's city center has undergone a renaissance in recent years," the ranking states. "An outbreak of new construction downtown means more shopping, dining and apartment options are available. Just west of downtown, a defunct cotton mill became a bustling arts center, and craft breweries, restaurants and an ax-throwing venue have sprung up in a renovated old middle school."

But all is not lost, New York City — at least we beat Los Angeles.

The City of Angels is the 128th best place to live.

Read the full U.S. News Best Places To Live ranking here.