These 3 Arizona cities are among the best places to live in the U.S. Can you guess?
U.S. News and World Report recently released its annual list of the best places to live in the U.S. for 2025-2026, evaluating 250 cities across the country.
The rankings are based on key factors such as affordability, quality of life, job market strength and access to recreational activities. The criteria were weighted on responses to a nationwide public survey conducted in February, which asked people what matters most when choosing where to live.
Most Arizona cities did not shine in the ranking, but three places made it to the top half—and two of them earned spots in the top 100.
Here are the best and worst Arizona places to live in, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Only three Arizona areas made it to the top half of the ranking of more than 250 places: Queen Creek at No. 93, Gilbert at No. 94 and Marana at No. 115.
Queen Creek, the highest-ranked Arizona town, is a suburban area located in the southeastern outskirts of metro Phoenix, offering a strong job market, low crime rates and a tight-knit community feel.
Right behind it at No. 94 was Gilbert, another Phoenix suburb. Larger and slightly more affordable than Queen Creek, Gilbert offers a blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities, with comparable levels of safety and employment opportunities.
Here's how Arizona cities/towns fared in the U.S. News & World Report ranking, from best to worst:
Queen Creek
Gilbert
Marana
Chandler
Scottsdale
Sierra Vista
Peoria
Surprise
Maricopa
Mesa
Goodyear
Buckeye
Phoenix
Avondale
Tucson
Prescott
Glendale
Casa Grande
Lake Havasu
Tempe
Flagstaff
Yuma
Here are the three best cities to live in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Johns Creek, Georgia
Carmel, Indiana
Pearland, Texas
U.S. News ranked cities using data from government sources like the U.S. Census and private data firms, as well as its own resources. A national survey was conducted to find out what Americans value most when choosing a place to live.
Each city/town in the ranking received a total score based on the following five categories, which were weighted based on survey responses:
Quality of Life (26%): Things that affect long-term well-being, like education quality, health care access, environmental risks and state economy.
Value (25%): How affordable it is to live in each city, comparing housing costs in proportion to income and overall cost of essential things like food and utilities.
Desirability (24%): Focused on daily lifestyle and satisfaction, analyzing crime rates, weather, access to leisure activities and commuting time.
Job Market (23%): Job opportunities and income based on the unemployment rate and median income of each city.
Net Migration (2%): Whether more people are moving in or out of the city.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here are the 2025 best cities to live in. Do you agree?
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