Naperville has been listed among the 50 best places to live in the United States in 2021 by Money. The city landed at number 45 in the publication’s rankings.
Factors
Money looked at cities and towns with populations from 25,000 through 500,000 to come up with its list. It targeted those spots with high marks in cost of living, economic opportunity, diversity, education, amenities, health & safety, housing, income & personal finances and quality of life. Cost of living, housing affordability and economic opportunity got extra weight.
Naperville’s High Marks
Naperville’s long list of entertainment options helped it rise in the ranks. The Money article noted the Last Fling, India Day Celebration, Centennial Beach, the Riverwalk and the DuPage Children’s Museum as some of the top draws. It also noted Edward Hospital and a bustling retail market.
The home market was also mentioned, with Money citing that Naperville’s home prices have grown at a slower pace than other top cities in its list. Most had gone up by an average 10% in the first quarter of 2021, but Naperville’s only 5%.
Stats
By the numbers, Naperville was shown to have a median household income of $127,207, and a median home price of $391,560. The unemployment rate in Naperville is 6.7%.
In First Place…
Topping Money’s list this year is Chanhassen, Minnesota. Carmel, Indiana and Franklin, Tennessee followed as numbers two and three, respectively.
This is the 35th year Money has compiled its Best Places To Live in the U.S. list.
Naperville News 17’s Kim Pirc reports.
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