Latest news with #America'sBestCities
Axios
07-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Richmond ranks 36th of cities Americans want to call home
Richmond was named multiple times in an open-ended survey asking Americans where in the U.S. they'd like to live. Why it matters: The survey didn't have a drop-down or multiple-choice option — respondents actually typed in Richmond as their choice. The big picture: The findings come from the 2025 America's Best Cities report by Resonance, a marketing and branding firm. Resonance worked with Ipsos to ask about 2,000 people nationwide to name the top three U.S. towns or cities they'd most like to live in someday. And enough of them did that our little East Coast town ranked as the 36th most livable place in the nation — out of 100 options. New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego and Chicago took the top five spots. But Richmond way outranked Virginia Beach (No. 64). Zoom in: Along with our stellar livability ranking, Richmond was No. 33 in "perceived prosperity" (think: major employers, unemployment, education attainability). Richmond came in at No. 52, sadly, for "lovability" perception, which "speaks to the relative vibrancy" of a city. That stat was measured by asking people to name the top three places they'd like to visit in the next year or two. Zoom out: The marketing firm also did its own "best cities" rankings based on hard metrics like GDP and unemployment as well as softer indicators, like TripAdvisor reviews and Instagram activity. Their rankings put New York, L.A. and Chicago on top, and Richmond at No. 43 for livability, No. 51 for lovability and No. 41 for prosperity. The intrigue: Richmond's highest rankings by the firm were for labor force (No. 26), educational attainment (No. 28) and museums (No. 29). Richmond was ranked poorly for poverty rate (No. 81), nightlife (No. 77) and housing affordability (No. 71). What they're saying: "Emerging from its pandemic slumber, the river city has leaned into its quiet boom," the authors of the ranking wrote, highlighting CoStar's new office tower and CarMax Park as noteworthy signs of Richmond's boom.
Axios
03-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Seattle named one of America's top 10 dream cities
Seattle just landed in the top 10 cities where Americans most want to live, new data shows. Why it matters: The results of a new survey underscore that Americans still view Seattle as one of the most desirable places to land and confirms what locals already believe — that this scenic city really is among the best in the world. It also reinforces Seattle's identity as a city shaped by transplants and newcomers, a fact that sparks both civic pride and complaints, depending on the rain, the rent and rush hour. Driving the news: Seattle ranks seventh among U.S. cities people most want to move to, according to the 2025 America's Best Cities report by Resonance, a marketing and branding firm for cities and destinations. As part of that report, Resonance worked with Ipsos to ask about 2,000 respondents nationwide to name the top three U.S. towns or cities they'd most like to live in someday. New York, Los Angeles and Miami came out on top, followed by San Diego, Chicago and Las Vegas. By the numbers: Resonance's comprehensive ranking evaluates cities based on hard metrics, including GDP, unemployment rates, air quality, and softer indicators like social media activity. Seattle ranked No. 5 overall, coming in second for air quality and third for GDP per capita among U.S. metros. Seattle is also the nation's No. 2 tech talent market, per CBRE, with new expansions from Commonwealth Bank and Brex, per the ranking. What they're saying: "Few North American cities are stacking high-impact wins as fast as Seattle," according to the report's authors. Seattle's momentum is reflected, they say, in infrastructure upgrades, a hospitality boom and surging tourism numbers. New Sound Transit lines are improving commutes, expansion continues at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, per the report. Tourism also "roared back" last year, with Visit Seattle logging 40 million visitors who spent $8.8 billion in 2024. The city's port estimated a record number of cruise passengers last year. We want to hear from you: We know, we know. Some locals like to keep Seattle's charms a secret.
Axios
24-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Where Americans most want to live
New York, Los Angeles and Miami came out on top in an open-ended survey asking Americans where in the U.S. they'd most like to live. Why it matters: The results show how Americans perceive different cities, with some intriguing differences when people are asked about where they want to live versus where the best job opportunities are. Driving the news: The findings are from the 2025 America's Best Cities report by Resonance, a marketing and branding firm for cities and destinations. As part of that report, Resonance worked with Ipsos to ask about 2,000 respondents nationwide to name the top three U.S. towns or cities they'd most like to live in someday. Zoom in: After the top three came San Diego in fourth, Chicago in fifth and Las Vegas in sixth. Seattle, Boston, San Francisco and Phoenix round out the top 10. Zoom out: Resonance also asked about places where people saw the best job opportunities, with some notable divergence from where people want to live. For example, Miami and San Diego both ranked highly as places where people want to live, but didn't even crack the top 10 for cities where Americans think the jobs are. Dallas came in third for economic opportunities, but 12th as a desirable place to live. Between the lines: The results reflect cities' perception and image, not necessarily reality. In actuality, Texas and Florida are home to several of the fastest-growing U.S. cities, per census data — though New York City is still gaining the most people overall.
