For Immediate Release
February 7, 2016
Contact: Susan Norton
Director
Communications Department
479.575.8330
snorton@fayetteville-ar.gov
U.S. News and World Report’s Best Places to Live Lists Fayetteville for Second Consecutive Year
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — U.S. News & World Report revealed its 2017 Best Places to Live list today. This is the second year that the magazine has composed the list. The metropolitan statistical area of Fayetteville, Arkansas remained in the top five of the country's 100 largest metropolitan areas based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life. Other cities in the top five include Austin, Texas at No. 1; Denver, Colorado at No. 2; San Jose, California at No. 3; and Washington, D.C. at No. 4.
U.S. News analyzed the 100 most populous metro areas to find the best places to live. To make the top of the list, a place had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life. Information and statistics gathered by U.S. News and World Report about the Fayetteville MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) can be found here: http://realestate.usnews.com/places/arkansas/fayetteville.
“I’m thrilled that once again, Fayetteville and the Northwest Arkansas region are listed as one of the top five places to live in the United States,” said Mayor Lioneld Jordan. “People are attracted to our quality of life, access to outdoor activities, parks, trails, education, cultural arts and welcoming spirit. Combine Fayetteville’s increased placemaking initiatives to our competitive edge, low unemployment, and entrepreneurial drive – we’re becoming recognized as the Startup City of the South.”
The 2017 Best Places to Live were determined in part by a public survey of thousands of individuals across the U.S. to find out what qualities they consider important in a hometown. The methodology also factors in data from the United States Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as U.S. News rankings of the Best High Schools and Best Hospitals.
"When considering a move people are concerned about finding a job in their field, earning enough to afford a home, sending their kids to good schools and feeling like a part of their community," said Kim Castro, executive editor at U.S. News. "The Best Places to Live ranking takes all of that into account – the metro areas that do well are the ones with strong job markets and high quality of life."
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