Hartford and its surrounding environs are getting high marks for their cultural institutions, scenic neighborhoods and overall high quality of life in a new study from U.S. News & World Report.
The publication ranked the Hartford metro area 53rd on its annual “Best Places to Live” report, placing the region just outside the top third of the 150-place list. The study examines metrics such as job market quality, weather, housing costs, commute times and diversity.
Analysts highlighted attractions such as the Wadsworth Atheneum and the historic residences of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe, all situated in Hartford, and praised the region’s abundance of performance venues, restaurants and state parks.
The Greater Hartford area received comparatively low scores for affordability, however, with the report’s authors pointing out that groceries, housing and transportation all cost more than the national average. In 2020, the median home sale price in the Hartford metro region was about $327,000, compared to the national median of $315,700.
Overall, the region placed behind hip up-and-coming cities such as Portland, Maine (No. 8) and Winston-Salem, North Carolina (No. 46) but beat out bigger metropolitan areas such as Atlanta (No. 55), Orlando (No. 60) and San Antonio (No. 75).
U.S. News & World Report ranked Boulder, Colorado as the most desirable locale in the country, owing mainly to its natural beauty, abundance of outdoor activities and a culture promoting wellness and work-life balance. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, Huntsville, Alabama, Fayetteville, Arkansas and Austin, Texas rounded out the top five.
