The skyline of Cambridge, Massachusetts—which was named the best city for young professionals in 2025 in Niche’s list of the best (and most affordable) places to live in America.
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Looking for the best places to live and visit in the United States in 2025? Or maybe the most affordable spots to call home? Niche just released its “2025 Best Places to Live in America” report, and it has the answers.
Each year, millions of people turn to Niche—a data-driven platform—for insights into cities, suburbs and neighborhoods across the U.S. The platform analyzes various categories, including the best cities (urban areas with a population of 100,000+), best suburbs, best neighborhoods, best places (non-rural towns with populations of 1,000+), best spots for young professionals, the cities with the lowest cost of living and more.
“Our Best Places to Live in America ranking, like all our rankings, offers people the resources and insights they need to find the best options for them, based on what matters most,” Zach Chatham, PR manager at Niche, told me in an interview. “It’s an excellent tool for anyone looking to understand what a location is truly like, whether for a vacation or for a new place to call home. A young professional starting their career will have different priorities than a retired couple or a family with young children. Whatever your circumstances, our rankings are designed to guide you in your search.”
Niche’s rankings are based on a wide range of public data sources, including user reviews and public records. “Each year we review those sources and our methodology to ensure we’re providing people with the most accurate, informative, and helpful rankings possible, and this year the criteria stayed consistent with previous years,” says Chatham.
In fact, the 2025 list saw few surprises, as locations that perform well across various factors continue to dominate the rankings. “Having now done this for 10+ consecutive years, we tend to see locations that perform well across multiple factors to rank highly,” says Chatham.
Compare this year’s results to last year’s list of the best (and most affordable) places to live in America, 2023’s list of the best (and cheapest) places to live in America, 2022’s list of the best places to live in America, as well as the cheapest places to live in the U.S. in 2021.
So what are the best places to live in America in 2025? Let’s dive in.
The Best City To Live In America
Naperville, Illinois, continues its reign as the top city to live in, maintaining the #1 spot for the second consecutive year. Located just outside Chicago, Naperville shines across multiple categories. “Maintaining the number one spot from 2024, Naperville is also number one in best cities to raise a family, buy a house and public schools in America, showcasing a thriving, well-rounded area,” says Chatham.
A view of Naperville—the best city to live in America.
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Other factors driving Naperville to the top: health and fitness, jobs, outdoor activity and diversity. Naperville performed moderately well in categories like cost of living, crime and safety, nightlife and commute. The weakest factor for Naperville—the weather, where it rates a C+.
Coming in second on the list is The Woodlands, Texas, followed by Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Best Place To Live And The Best Neighborhood
Colonial Village in Arlington, Virginia—located just outside Washington, D.C.—retains its position as both the best place and the best neighborhood for the second year in a row. Niche defines a place as “a non-rural town with a population of 1,000 or more.”
“Colonial Village has done well over the years, placing in our best places to live rankings since 2019, including the number two spot in 2023. With improvements across many key factors such as cost of living, housing, diversity, jobs and shortest commute, Colonial Village secured the number one spot for the second year in a row,” says Chatham.
Well represented as the best place, Chatham says it’s no surprise Colonial Village would rank number one within the neighborhood category as well. “Colonial Village has been on the rise in recent years within our rankings and this year is no different with solid representation across multiple rankings, including strong ratings within our crime safety report,” says Chatham.
The second best place for 2025 is Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania (which also ranked third last year).
The Most Affordable Winners
When it comes to affordability, Brownsville, Texas, takes the crown as the most affordable city to live in America—moving up from the number two spot in 2024. It’s an attractive option for those seeking a budget-friendly city without sacrificing quality of life. “In the modern age, cost of living has multiple contributing factors, but none more significant than Cost to Buy a House and Brownsville ranks highly at #16 nationally,” says Chatham.
Brownsville, Texas—the most affordable city to live in 2025.
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Coming in second on the list of most affordable cities is Wichita Falls, Texas, followed by Evansville, Indiana.
For the most affordable place to live, Heidelberg, Texas is the winner for the second year in a row, followed by Pearl River, Mississippi and Chattahoochee, Florida.
In fact, Texas dominated the most most affordable places list with six places on the list.
Best Spots For Young Professionals
For young professionals, Cambridge, Massachusetts, remains the top choice for the second year in a row.
For young professionals, Cambridge, Massachusetts, remains the top choice for the second year in a row. Known for its proximity to Harvard University and the thriving tech industry, Cambridge also ranks number three for best cities to live in America in 2025. The city scores highly in categories such as outdoor activities, health and overall livability. While housing can be pricey, its wealth of career opportunities and vibrant cultural scene make it an ideal destination for young professionals looking to make their mark.
Strolling through New York City’s Little Italy, the best neighborhood to live in 2025.
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“Cambridge, MA has consistently ranked highly since 2018, earning the number three best cities to live in America in 2025, bolstering a top 50 ranking across 10 different categories this year, Cambridge has an impressive resume,” says Chatham.
For young professionals, New York City’s Little Italy is the best neighborhood to live in 2025—pushing Hell’s Kitchen out of the top spot. “Providing a hotbed of employment opportunities in the heart of New York City, Little Italy has shown why they are a strong option for young professionals. With an incredible nightlife scene and a strong scoring within our crime/safety metrics, Little Italy is the perfect spot for someone young in their career to move,” says Chatham.
Read on for the lists of the best cities to live in the U.S., the most affordable places to live and more. And head to Niche.com, where you can do a deeper dive and see more lists, including the healthiest cities, the best spots for families, the best spots to retire and more.
The Woodlands, Texas—the second best city to live in 2025.
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10 Best Cities To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A city is defined as a principal city for an urbanized area with a population of 100,000 or more.
- Naperville, Illinois
- The Woodlands, Texas
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Arlington, Virginia
- Irvine, California
- Plano, Texas
- Columbia, Maryland
- Overland Park, Kansas
- Bellevue, Washington
- Berkeley, California
Cityscape of Arlington, Virginia, which is home to the best place and the best neighborhood to live in the U.S.
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10 Best Places To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A place is defined as a non-rural town with a population of 1,000 or more, including neighborhoods, suburbs and cities.
- Colonial Village – Arlington, Virginia
- Atlantic Station – Atlanta, Georgia
- Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania
- Harbour Island – Tampa, Florida
- City Center – Santa Monica, California
- South Lake Union – Seattle, Washington
- Carmel, Indiana
- Midtown – Atlanta, Georgia
- Madison, Alabama
- Johns Creek – Fulton, Georgia
Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania—the best suburb to live.
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10 Best Suburbs To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A suburb is defined as a place located within a Census-defined urbanized area, but outside the principal city with a population of at least 1,000.
- Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania
- Carmel, Indiana
- Madison, Alabama
- Johns Creek – Fulton, Georgia
- Ardmore, Pennsylvania
- Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania
- Brookline, Massachusetts
- Cinco Ranch, Texas
- Okemos, Michigan
- Naperville, Illinois
The skyline of Atlanta, which is home to Atlantic Station—the second best neighborhood to live in America.
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10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A neighborhood is defined as a place with a population of at least 1,000 located within a city.
- Colonial Village – Arlington, Virginia
- Atlantic Station – Atlanta, Georgia
- Harbour Island – Tampa, Florida
- City Center – Santa Monica, California
- South Lake Union – Seattle, Washington
- Midtown – Atlanta, Georgia
- Courier City/Oscawana – Tampa, Florida
- Downtown – Orlando, Florida
- Ballston/Virginia Square – Arlington, Virginia
- Radnor/Fort Myer Heights – Arlington, Virginia
Wichita Falls, Texas—the second most affordable place to love.
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10 Most Affordable Cities To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A city is defined as a principal city for an urbanized area with a population of 100,000 or more.
- Brownsville, Texas
- Wichita Falls, Texas
- Evansville, Indiana
- South Bend, Indiana
- Dayton, Ohio
- Toledo, Ohio
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Springfield, Illinois
- McAllen, Texas
- Beaumont, Texas
Pearl River, Mississippi—the second most affordable place to live in the U.S.
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10 Most Affordable Places To Live In The U.S. In 2025
A place is defined as a non-rural town with a population of 1,000 or more, including neighborhoods, suburbs, and cities.
- Heidelberg, Texas
- Pearl River, Mississippi
- Chattahoochee, Florida
- Muniz, Texas
- Banner Hill, Tennessee
- Tornillo, Texas
- El Cenizo, Texas
- Ozona, Texas
- Mila Doce, Texas
- Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Cambridge, Massachusetts—the nest city for young professionals.
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10 Best Cities for Young Professionals In 2025
A city is defined as a principal city for an urbanized area with a population of 100,000 or more.
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Washington, D.C.
- Boston
- Arlington, Virginia
- Berkeley, California
- Minneapolis
- Denver, Colorado
- Santa Clara, California
New York City’s Little Italy.
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10 Best Neighborhoods for Young Professionals In 2025
A neighborhood is defined as a place with a population of at least 1,000 located within a city.
- Little Italy – New York City
- Hell’s Kitchen – New York City
- Civic Center – San Francisco
- First Hill – Seattle, Washington
- South of Market – San Francisco
- Golden Triangle – Washington, D.C.
- South Lake Union – Seattle, Washington
- Mission Bay – San Francisco
- Downtown – Nashville, Tennessee
- Lower Nob Hill – San Francisco
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