North Carolina City Ranks Top 5 Most Desirable City To Live In USA
I have some good news for those of us in the Charlotte area. We finally ranked above Raleigh in something good. Our city ranks top 5 in the most desirable cities to live in the USA.
According to a survey done by Empower, Charlotte ranked 4th in the cities most working adults want to live in. The top 3 were Denver, San Diego, and New York.
For most working adults the cost of living was at the top of the list when choosing a place to live. The safety of a city also came into play. Wait and New York came in third?
Charlotte also ranked very highly with retirees. Many retired folks choose the city as a place to settle in their later lives. It’s affordable, relatively safe, and offers proximity to a lot of things to do.
When it comes to the most affordable cities for working adults smaller towns ruled. Sioux Falls, South Dakota was number one, followed by Springfield, Illinois, and Witchita Kansas.
The report included a survey of 800 U.S. workers and 200 U.S. retirees to gather their perspectives on the best cities to live in and what qualities make those cities the most appealing. It was conducted in July 2023 by Fractl on behalf of Empower.
Check out the whole list here
This North Carolina City Is The Number 2 City People Are Dreaming Of Moving To
7. Raleigh, NC
The North Carolina capital city ranks 7th on this list. I know there is a bit of a rivalry between Charlotte and Raleigh but as someone who loves both dearly, I will fiercely defend Raleigh even living in the Queen City. Plus it’s great for our state that both cities are thriving and desirable places to relocate to.
3. New York, NY
Daydreaming about moving to New York? It’s a common occurrence and no surprise to see the city that never sleeps on this list. I love to visit New York, but the only way I could live in New York is in areas and in a way that in this lifetime I will never be able to afford to. If it’s not in the Upper East Side I don’t want it. But I do have several friends and even a family member who have moved there permanently or temporarily. I’ll stick to visiting!
2. Charlotte, NC
While I don’t quite understand the why, I definitely see the people coming. More and more everyday. I know it’s good for the economy and the city, but it’s not good for rent prices, the housing market (if you’re a potential buyer), and traffic. So while I’d try and convince people we are full, I guess it’s a good thing our city is one people want to move to. As someone who was born and raised here, I do question what is so tempting. I love Charlotte and have no intention of leaving, but really the second most desirable place?
1. Austin, TX
Austin is certainly one of the trendiest cities right now. It’s pretty high on my list of places I want to visit, but until I have I can’t say whether or not I’d like to move there. But a thriving music and cultural scene are enticing and I’ve heard the food is incredible as well. Maybe in 2024 I’ll finally check this off the bucket list!
The Full Top 10
- Austin, TX
- Charlotte, NC
- New York, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Nashville, TN
- Tampa, FL
- Raleigh, NC
- Seattle, WA
- Atlanta, GA
- San Diego, CA
The top 10 is filled with some pretty great cities. Outside of the ones discussed above it was my dream to relocate to Nashville several years ago. Music City has seen a similar growth at the Queen City in the same time period so it makes sense it is on this list as well. While I personally couldn’t live in Atlanta (that traffic) it’s an enticing destination for sure. And I have good friends who just moved to the Tampa area. Is your dream city on this list?
You can read the full Coldwell Banker study and results here.
