The best place to live in America is a frequent flier on this yearly top 10 list — and the runner-up is right next door.
WASHINGTON — For the first time in the history of U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Places to Live rankings, two neighboring cities claimed the top two spots.
Carmel, Ind., a suburb just north of Indianapolis, ranked No. 1 in the 2026-2027 list published Monday, earning top marks for desirability, affordability and job market. Right behind it at No. 2 is Fishers, Ind. — Carmel’s next-door neighbor — which scored well on affordability, quality of life and employment opportunity. Both were among the top 10 in last year’s rankings.
“Carmel and Fishers, Indiana, are two neighboring locations that offer residents a good quality of life without breaking the bank,” said Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report.
Texas dominated the rest of the top 10, landing four cities in the rankings. Flower Mound, a Dallas suburb, came in at No. 3, boosted by strong scores in job market, desirability and affordability. Leander, near Austin, ranked No. 8. Fellow Dallas suburb Frisco landed at No. 9, and Sugar Land — outside Houston — climbed eight spots from last year to crack the top 10 at No. 10, driven by high desirability scores.
U.S. News 2026-2027 rankings of best place to live
- Carmel, IN
- Fishers, IN
- Flower Mound, TX
- Ankeny, IA
- Johns Creek, GA
- Hoover, AL
- Rochester Hills, MI
- Leander, TX
- Frisco, TX
- Sugar Land, TX
Affordability driving the list
Mid-sized cities and suburbs in the Midwest and South ranked high, where housing costs remain relatively lower than in coastal markets, are outpacing larger, more expensive urban centers.
“As prices of everyday goods continue to rise, consumers are considering affordability as a top priority when choosing a place to live,” Giovanetti said. “While U.S. News’ consumer survey indicated that quality of life and affordability were close in importance, cost-of-living concerns resulted in many Americans putting what they can afford above their aspirations.”
How the rankings work
U.S. News evaluates hundreds of U.S. cities across four categories: job market, value, quality of life and desirability. The weights assigned to each category are determined by a public survey of thousands of Americans asked what they consider most important in a place to live.
The methodology also draws on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the FBI, FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as U.S. News’ own Best States data on economy and infrastructure.