Color us (un-)surprised but once again, Tampa has made the top – No. 12, to be exact – of yet another list about the best places to live in the U.S. Again.
Other Florida cities ranked, too, with Orlando at No. 17, Clearwater at No. 44, Tallahassee at No. 58, West Palm Beach at No. 59, and Gainesville at No. 81.
For six years, Livability editors and data scientists have combined their obsessions with cities and data to create their annual ranking of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in America.
Their methodology is as follows:
“We always start with data: this year, we examined more than 1,000 cities based on thousands of data points measuring economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care. This is how we calculate each city’s LivScore, which you’ll see on each city page.
“Next, we craft the rankings. This year, we started with a single question: What matters most to you when you’re deciding where to live?
“That’s what we asked 1,000 millennials across the country in an exclusive survey.
“Their No. 1 answer, by a landslide? Affordability.
“So, for the first time ever, we instituted a cap on median home value. This year, no city on the Top 100 Best Places to Live list has a median home value above $250,000.
“We made some other changes, too. We raised our population maximum from 350,000 to 1,000,000 to accommodate more mid-sized cities that are attracting big waves of young people. We also changed up and added more weight to some of our measures of diversity and inclusion to reflect what millennials are looking for in the cities they call home.”
‘Tell me more! Tell me more!’ you say? Here’s exactly what Livability has to say about our beloved city.
“A killer beer scene, superior Cubano sandwiches (just don’t tell Miami we said that) and glittering bay views — what’s not to love? This city-on-the-rise received high ratings in the economics category, which is especially notable due to the fact that Tampa was hit so hard by the recession in 2008. Tampa has made an astonishing comeback, boasting a low unemployment rate and becoming a popular relocation destination for people from other cities in Florida (and beyond).
“Tampa also scored high in the amenities category, with a wide range of cultural activities. Whether it’s popping into a museum for the afternoon or biking through a nature preserve, there’s no shortage of interesting (and affordable) things for Tampa residents to do. The city also has a thriving LGBTQ scene, and its Pride events are not to be missed.”
And from sharing the best local beers, hidden gems, and free ways to have fun around the city, there is no shortage to the praise bestowed upon our city. Though it comes as no surprise to those of us who know – and love – her well. Ahem, have you seen our beaches or eaten at our delicious local eateries?!
Curious about who snagged the top spot?
So unless you’re ready to pack up and move to Boise, let the real estate professionals at DeLeon Sheffield find you the right place in No. 12 Tampa to call home.
Because at DeLeon Sheffield Company, ‘We’re More Than Realty; We’re Family.’
