Madison City Tops List of 100 Most Livable U.S. Cities

---

According to the newly released Top 100 Best Places to Live list by Livability.com, Madison City Wisconsin took top honors in 2014.

Livability's Top 100 Cities (see full list below), which is the culmination of months of exclusive research into what factors most influence the livability of America's small to mid-sized cities. More than 30 states are represented, from coast to coast. The study was done in partnership with the research team at the Martin Prosperity Institute. The Institute, directed by Richard Florida, is part of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and is the leading think-tank on the role of location, place and city-regions in global economic prosperity.

See related story: Urban Theorist Richard Florida Named Senior Visiting Fellow by Urban Land Institute

"Any of these cities would be a great place to live," says Matt Carmichael, Livability's editor. "This is a great time for America's small to mid-sized cities that are trying to lure the huge Millennial generation of potential home-buyers. Creating a livable community is key to attracting businesses and movers, as well as for retaining residents."

More than 2,000 cities were evaluated in this landmark study. We analyzed more than 40 data points that were then grouped into eight categories - economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care. The eight scores were weighted based on an exclusive survey conducted for Livability.com by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading global market research firm. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as the factors they would consider in selecting another city. Every city with a population between 20,000 and 350,000 was considered.

"The cities at the top of the list were often home to a major institution like a university, hospital or state capital," says Matt Carmichael, Livability's editor. "Institutions like that help these smaller cities compete in terms of sports, culture, jobs and entertainment."
 
Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2014