Alabama’s Rocket City is the best place to live in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Huntsville notched the top spot in the outlet’s 2022-2023 edition of “Best Places to Live in the United States” unveiled Tuesday. The list ranks the nation’s 150 most populous metropolitan areas based on affordability, desirability and quality of life.
The Yellowhammer State’s most populous city tops this year’s list after being ranked third-best in the previous edition.
In rolling out the publication’s refreshed rankings, U.S. News real estate editor Devon Thorsby indicated that the list differs from previous years due to individuals’ desire for affordability and quality of life.
“Much of the shakeup we see at the top of this year’s ranking is a result of changing preferences,” said Thorsby in a release. “People moving across the country today are putting more emphasis on affordability and quality of life than on the job market, which in many ways takes a back seat as remote work options have become more standard.”
In a conversation with Yellowhammer News, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle extended appreciation to the individuals and entities that played a role in helping Huntsville earn the recognition.
“This is a great honor for our city. It’s a group effort. It’s really a team effort that’s been put together by a lot of people,” noted Battle. “Everybody from our utilities, to our hospitals, to our schools. to our four year colleges, two year colleges, and chamber of commerce, everybody that did their part to make this happen. And it’s something that we’re honored to have been named number one. As I remind my people: That’s now in the history books and we’ve got to start working on next year now.”
“To a degree it validates what we have been able to do as a city. What we’ve been able to put together as a city,” added the mayor. “I think that’s probably one of the most exciting things about it because it’s just an outside source validating what we’ve been trying to achieve as a city for a long time.”
According to Madison County Commission chairman Dale Strong, while already experiencing unparalleled success, the Huntsville metropolitan area continues to invest in its future.
“By any way you judge it Huntsville and north Alabama is a great place to live,” declared Strong in a statement to Yellowhammer News. “We are known for our technology and skilled workers but now we are also noted for our quality of life. From Singing River Trail, Cook’s Museum, Orion Amphitheater, Toyota Field to $100M in new road projects this region keeps investing in our future.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
