Naperville has once again found itself atop a national rankings list, this time earning the No. 1 spot on Niche’s “Best Cities to Live in America.”
It also ranked the top city in the country to raise a family and the city with the best public schools.
More accolades for Naperville
The series of accolades came after Niche released its 2024 rankings on Tuesday. This is the 10th year the data-driven review platform has released rankings of cities around the country.
This year, Niche evaluated 230 cities, which they classified as urbanized areas with populations of 100,000 or more.
Niche gave Naperville A’s in seven of its 12 categories, including public schools, housing, good for families, jobs, outdoor activities, health & fitness, and diversity. It received four B’s” for the cost of living, crime & safety, nightlife, and commute. The city’s only C was for the weather.
Naperville beat out The Woodlands, Texas, Arlington, Virginia, and Columbia, Maryland for best city.
Niche also released a list of “Best Places to Live in America” ranking, where they considered 18,000 non-rural places with populations of 1,000 or more. Naperville came in 24th, with Colonial Village, Virginia receiving top honors in the category.
In eight of the last 10 rankings from Niche, Naperville has been named the No. 1 in the country for both its public schools and fit to raise a family.
How Niche determined its rankings
Niche takes data from the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI, and the Centers for Disease Control.
The platform also takes resident reviews into account. Naperville currently has a four out of five-star rating, with over 700 reviews.
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