What Are America's Best Cities?

For the second year running, Businessweek has conducted an evaluation of America's 100 largest cities to determine their list of the top 50. Alex Konrad discusses the results.

1 minute read

September 29, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

It's hard to argue with Businessweek's selection of San Francisco as America's best place to live. That is, of course, unless you have an aversion to stratospheric housing prices, earthquakes, and hilly terrain. According to Konrad, a number of factors went into this year's evaluation, including crime, air quality, education, and a variety of economic factors. Notably, leisure amenities, such as the number of restaurants, bars, libraries, museums, professional sports teams, and park acres by population, received the greatest weight in the evaluation.

San Franciscans may be even more pleased to learn that Los Angeles came in 50th place in the rankings, below such world renowned cities as Reno, Virginia Beach, and Rochester.

FULL STORY: America's 50 Best Cities

Friday, September 28, 2012 in Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Social / Demographics United States San Francisco Best Cities

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.