logo
17 Florida cities make U.S. News' top 250 places to live — None of them are Orlando, Miami or Tampa

17 Florida cities make U.S. News' top 250 places to live — None of them are Orlando, Miami or Tampa

Yahoo30-05-2025
Seventeen Florida cities placed among the best places to live in the U.S., according to the U.S. News & World Report's "2025-2026 Best Places to Live" ranking.
The publication analyzed 859 cities in the U.S. based on five categories: quality of life, job market, value of living, net migration and desire to live in the area. They said they evaluated each category by using a methodology determined by Americans' preferences.
"While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans – and has the heaviest weight in determining the Best Places to Live rankings – U.S. News slightly adjusted its weights to increase priority for a location's job market amid heightened economic uncertainty," Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said in a May 20 statement.
You can read more about the methodology on U.S. News' website.
Florida doesn't see a spot on the list until 59 — Parkland. According to the methodology, the South Florida city saw a score of 6.4 out of 10.
The Villages saw a slot on the ranking before Orlando, Tampa or Miami. Here are all 17 Florida cities on the list:
Parkland - 59
Palm Harbor - 68
Weston - 74
Jupiter - 124
Ormond Beach - 162
Pensacola - 166
The Villages - 177
Naples - 179
Riverview - 198
Bonita Spring - 203
Pinellas Park - 126
Kendall - 219
Apopka - 221
Doral - 227
Clermont - 241
North Port - 242
St. Petersburg - 246
Only about a state away from Florida, Georgia's Johns Creek is the U.S. News and World Report's top place to live in.
"Just north of Atlanta, Johns Creek is the kind of place where tree-lined streets, a strong sense of community and a high quality of life come together to make it one of the nation's most desirable places to call home," the report says.
Johns Creek, Georgia
Carmel, Indiana
Pearland, Texas
Fishers, Indiana
Cary, North Carolina
League City, Texas
Apex, North Carolina
Leander, Texas
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Troy, Michigan
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: U.S. News' 2025 'Best Places To Live': 17 Florida cities rank on list
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Which states have rising electricity costs? See map
Which states have rising electricity costs? See map

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Which states have rising electricity costs? See map

Americans are paying more for electricity this summer thanks to a combination of extreme temperatures and the expansion of power-hungry data centers needed to support the surge in artificial intelligence usage. Power demand from data centers in the U.S. is expected to nearly triple over the next three years, consuming as much as 12% of the country's electricity, according to a Department of Energy-backed study, as reported by Reuters. How will this influx in energy demand impact residential electricity bills? Here's what we know about the change in electricity prices for the average consumer: Which states are paying more for electricity? Between May 2024 and May 2025, the average retail residential price for 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity increased about 6.5%, according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electricity costs can vary due to energy rates, taxes, and utility fees in your area. A report from Choose Energy, an energy broker, has identified which states are facing higher electricity prices this year. Residents in Idaho currently pay the cheapest residential electricity rates in the country at 11.88 cents per kWh, while Hawaii's residents pay the highest electricity rates at 41.03 cents per kWh. What is causing electricity prices to increase? Many factors influence the price of electricity, including infrastructure costs, fuel prices, weather conditions, record-high temperatures and the balance of supply and demand, according to the EIA. On July 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. ET, Americans consumed 758,149 megawatt-hours of electricity – a new national record, according to EIA. The extraordinary demand for power resulted from large, densely populated areas of the U.S. experiencing a slow-moving 'heat dome,' which trapped high temperatures and humidity for days at a time, as previously reported by USA TODAY. In addition to the extreme weather causing an overall increase in residential electricity consumption, the demand from artificial intelligence data centers has also been linked to rising electricity bills in some areas. A recent report from The Washington Post found that some customers in areas serviced by PJM Interconnection, which coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or part of 13 states (Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia, have seen their electricity bills increase because of data centers. Electricity bills for some consumers in New Jersey have increased by 20% and in Ohio, prices rose between 10% and 15%. Read more about the pros and cons of data centers: Worst regions for clean energy: Are US data centers fueling climate change? Data centers are on the rise in AZ: Are they a good idea in the desert? CONTRIBUTING: Terry Collins, Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, Sarah Lapidus, Sasha Hupka, Arizona Republic

Vast majority of U.S. adults stressed about grocery costs, AP-NORC poll finds
Vast majority of U.S. adults stressed about grocery costs, AP-NORC poll finds

NBC News

time2 hours ago

  • NBC News

Vast majority of U.S. adults stressed about grocery costs, AP-NORC poll finds

NEW YORK — The vast majority of U.S. adults are at least somewhat stressed about the cost of groceries, a new poll finds, as prices continue to rise and concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs remain widespread. About half of all Americans say the cost of groceries is a "major" source of stress in their life right now, while 33% say it's a "minor" source of stress, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Only 14% say it's not a source of stress, underscoring the pervasive anxiety most Americans continue to feel about the cost of everyday essentials. Other financial stressors — like the cost of housing or the amount of money in their bank accounts — are also broadly felt, but they weigh more heavily on younger Americans, who are less likely than older adults to have significant savings or own property. The survey also found that about 4 in 10 Americans under age 45 say they've used what are known as "buy now, pay later" services when spending on entertainment or restaurant meals or when paying for essentials like groceries or medical care. Adam Bush, 19, based in Portland, New York, is one of those younger Americans who has used pay-later services for things like groceries or entertainment. Bush works as a welder, fabricating parts for trucks for Toyota, and makes under $50,000 per year. "I just keep watching the prices go up, so I'm looking for the cheapest possible stuff," he said. "Hot pockets and TV dinners." Everyone is stressed about groceries Groceries are one of the most far-reaching financial stressors, affecting the young and old alike, the poll finds. While Americans over age 60 are less likely than younger people to feel major financial anxiety about housing, their savings, child care, or credit card debt, they are just as worried about the cost of groceries. Esther Bland, 78, who lives in Buckley, Washington, said groceries are a "minor" source of stress — but only because her local food banks fill the gap. Bland relies on her Social Security and disability payments each month to cover her rent and other expenses — such as veterinary care for her dogs — in retirement, after decades working in an office processing product orders. "I have no savings," she said. "I'm not sure what's going on politically when it comes to the food banks, but if I lost that, groceries would absolutely be a major source of stress." Bland's monthly income mainly goes toward her electric, water and cable bills, she said, as well as care of her dogs and other household needs. "Soap, paper towels, toilet paper. I buy gas at Costco, but we haven't seen $3 a gallon here in a long time," she said. "I stay home a lot. I only put about 50 miles on my car a week." According to the poll, 64% of the lowest-income Americans — those who have a household income of less than $30,000 a year — say the cost of groceries is a "major" stressor. That's compared with about 4 in 10 Americans who have a household income of $100,000 or more. But even within that higher-income group, only about 2 in 10 say grocery costs aren't a worry at all. Women and Hispanic adults are especially economically anxious Housing is another substantial source of worry for U.S. adults — along with their savings, their income and the cost of health care. About half of U.S. adults say housing is a "major" source of stress, according to the poll, while about 4 in 10 say that about the amount of money they get paid, the amount of money they have saved and the cost of health care. About 3 in 10 say credit card debt is a "major" source of stress, while about 2 in 10 say that about the cost of child care and student debt. But some groups are feeling much more anxiety about their finances than others. Women, for instance, are more likely than men to report high levels of stress about their income, savings, the cost of groceries and the cost of health care. Hispanic adults are also particularly concerned about housing costs and both credit card and student debt. About two-thirds of Hispanic adults say the cost of housing is a "major" source of stress, compared with about half of Black adults and about 4 in 10 white adults. Some people are making changes to their lifestyle as a result of high costs. Shandal LeSure, 43, who works as a receptionist for a rehabilitation hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and makes between $85,000 and $100,000 a year, said she's started shopping for groceries at less expensive stores. "It's an adjustment," she said. "Sometimes the quality isn't as good." Many US adults have used 'buy now, pay later' services As they stretch limited budgets, about 3 in 10 U.S. adults overall say they've used "buy now, pay later" services such as Afterpay or Klarna to purchase groceries, entertainment, restaurant meals or meal delivery, or medical or dental care, according to the poll. Bland, the Washington state retiree, said she's paid for pet surgery with a pay-later plan. Younger Americans are much likelier than older people to have used pay-later plans for entertainment, groceries or restaurant meals, but there's no age gap on medical care. Black and Hispanic people are also especially likely to adopt the plans. An increasing share of "buy now, pay later" customers are having trouble repaying their loans, according to recent disclosures from the lenders. The loans are marketed as a safer alternative to traditional credit cards, but there are risks, including a lack of federal oversight. Some consumer watchdogs also say the plans lead consumers to overextend themselves financially. LeSure said she's used pay-later services for things like new clothes, while she balances debt payments for a car loan, student loans and medical bills. She's also turned to them to cover hotel costs after being evicted.

Social Security Administrator Responds After Senator's Warning
Social Security Administrator Responds After Senator's Warning

Newsweek

time4 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Social Security Administrator Responds After Senator's Warning

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano has fired back at Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren over her criticism of the agency's changes and customer service in recent months. He defended the changes implemented under the Trump administration, saying the agency is "experiencing a customer service turnaround after four years of long wait times and record backlogs under the Biden administration." Why It Matters The Social Security Administration (SSA) has become the center of a national debate over the future of one of America's most vital safety net programs. Recent leadership and technology changes have prompted warnings from lawmakers, labor unions, advocates and former officials that millions of beneficiaries could soon face delays or interruptions in their monthly payments. At stake is the reliability of Social Security for more than 70 million Americans, especially older adults and people with disabilities, as the agency modernizes and manages its workforce under intense political scrutiny. Critics have focused their warnings on the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, office closures and staffing cutbacks, with Warren, of Massachusetts, previously raising alarms about access to benefits, transparency and program solvency for current and future retirees. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images What To Know A group of senators including Ron Wyden, Democrat from Oregon; Bernie Sanders, independent from Vermont; Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat; and Warren previously sent a letter to Bisignano, demanding answers on the SSA's recent adoption of AI-driven customer service tools. The senators raised concerns about problems reminiscent of past missteps, including a failed fraud-detection chatbot that reportedly yielded only two potential fraud claims from 111,000 attempts and recent disruptions to benefit access linked to the agency's technology changes. "This lack of communication from your agency undermines its efforts to improve services by sowing chaos and confusion, which breeds distrust in the agency and its leadership," the senators said. The letter also requests details on the AI system implementations and their impact, setting a response deadline of July 18. Bisignano on Monday issued a response shared with Fox Business, defending the agency's reforms and recent track record. "The SSA is experiencing a customer service turnaround after four years of long wait times and record backlogs under the Biden administration," Bisignano said in the letter reviewed by Fox ahead of its release. "While I welcome your recent interest in customer service at SSA and the myriad of correspondences you sent my predecessor and me since President Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, I'm struck by how little you corresponded with the agency to express concern about deteriorating customer service during the previous administration," Bisignano wrote to Warren. The SSA provided updated performance data last month: The average response time for phone calls dropped to 6 minutes from 30 minutes in the prior fiscal year; field office wait times decreased to 23 minutes; and removal of online service downtimes has benefited an additional 125,000 users in a single week, according to the agency's findings. "Across all of our service indicators, the evidence is clear: better management is improving the customer experience on the phones, in the field offices, and online. Nothing in the data supports the irresponsible allegations of mismanagement and a customer service crisis at SSA," Bisignano said in his letter. But not everyone is certain those numbers reflect actual wait times for Social Security recipients. "A simple search reveals average wait times now exceed one hour, even though the SSA dashboard still shows 18.5 minutes," Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group and host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "Much of that data excludes the volume of callback requests—many people are opting for callbacks instead of waiting on hold, and those are coming 1.5 to 2 hours later, if at all." Changes at the SSA developed under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), formerly led by Elon Musk. DOGE's initiatives, including substantial staff cuts, access to Social Security databases and shifting most services online have sparked bipartisan concern. Former SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley warned that these measures could soon interrupt Social Security payments, a break from tradition in over 80 years of continuous benefit delivery. "Ultimately, you're going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits, within the next 30 to 90 days," O'Malley said in March. Newsweek reached out to Warren's office for comment via email. What People Are Saying Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "With the current dispute on Social Security customer service wait times, it's more of a situation of "he said, she said." The recent news releases from the administration have focused on faster wait times and more cases being resolved. However, Senator Warren points to concerns her office has received over some of that data not being accurate, and Social Security field employees being highly stressed in maintaining the additional workload they've been asked to cover." Thompson also told Newsweek: "Like many of us, Warren wants to see accurate, honest data. We all support modernizing the program, but it's hard to reconcile claims of modernization with staff reductions and quiet efforts to push people into early retirement or resignation." What Happens Next Beneficiaries experiencing issues are urged to contact the SSA directly or reach out to congressional offices for assistance. Further updates are expected as lawmakers receive responses and new technology initiatives reach additional agency offices nationwide. "The suggestion of a meeting between legislators and the SSA could resolve some of these lingering questions over whether the new procedures to customer service are really decreasing wait times to the extent claimed or not," Beene said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store