Best Places to Live In America: VA Community Ranks First In U.S.

VIRGINIA — Eleven Virginia communities are among the Best Places to Live in America in 2025, according to a new ranking from Niche released Monday. That includes the neighborhood taking the top spot in the ranking.

Now in its 11th year, the ranking from the data-driven platform Niche helps everyone from young people just starting their careers or families to retirees decide where they want to live. The report analyzes places of various sizes, including cities with populations of 100,000 or more, suburbs and neighborhoods.

The Colonial Village neighborhood of Arlington ranked first in the nation. It received an overall grade of A+ from Niche, including the same grade in the public schools, good for families, nightlife, health and fitness and commute. The neighborhood is located just north of the Courthouse Metro stop and is one of the closest neighborhoods to downtown D.C. Its public schools earned an A+ rating.

In Virginia, other towns were among the top 100 on the list:

17. Ballston/Virginia Square, Arlington County

18. Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, Arlington County

24. Innsbrook, Henrico County

40. North Highland, Arlington County

48. Clarendon/Courthouse, Arlington County

61. Stone Ridge, Loudoun County

63. Bluemont, Arlington County

87. Loudoun Valley Estates, Loudoun County

89. Cascades, Loudoun County

90. Waycroft/Woodlawn, Arlington County

The rankings are based on a wide range of public data sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, combined with millions of resident reviews.

Niche said it analyzed thousands of communities to compile this year’s ranking. Community attributes considered in developing the list included the health of the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools and walkability, among others. (More on methodology.)

According to the ranking, the five best places to live in the United States are: Colonial Village, VA; Atlantic Station, GA; Chesterbrook, PA; Harbour Island, FL; City Center, CA.