Niche is out with a new “Best Places to Live In America” list that weighs decidedly to the U.S. Northeast – especially Pennsylvania.
Nice built the survey with five bedrock qualifiers -
- Affordability
- Local housing market
- Neighborhood diversity
- Area public schools
- Walkability
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The survey examined 17,932 towns and neighborhoods using data from the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CDC in combination with millions of reviews from residents.
Here’s the Niche list:
- Chesterbrook, Philadelphia, PA
- Colonial Village, Arlington, VA
- Ardmore, Philadelphia, PA
- Hyde Park–Spanishtown Creek, Tampa, FL
- Penn Wynne, Philadelphia, PA
- City Center, Santa Monica, CA
- Cambridgeport, MA
- North Quarter, Orlando, FL
- Devon, Philadelphia, PA.
- Great Neck Gardens, Long Island, N.Y.
The Philly Suburbs Are Desirable
Several Philadelphia suburbs - Chesterbrook, Ardmore, Penn Wynne, and Devon – made the list, notably for its solid schools and geographical access to brand-name universities.
Chesterbrook, Ardmore, and Devon, for instance, are close to the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova, and Haverford College. Home prices, while higher than the national average, list at $434,000 on a media basis in Chesterbrook and Ardmore at $425,051.
Colonial Village, VA. ranked second on the “best places” list, with high marks on education, diversity, and nightlife.
The list takes a southern tour all the way down to the Caribbean, with The Baldwin School of Puerto Rico, a private school in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Fresh island air, a great reputation for graduating well-prepared students, and access to some of the best beaches in the world give The Baldwin School that laid-back luster that lures so many Americans to the island.
Hyde Park-Spanishtown Creek, located just outside of downtown Tampa, also ranks in the Nice top five. The community grades out with “A’s” in education, diversity, housing, and nightlife. At a population of just 2,473, Hyde Park-Spanishtown Creek is on the smaller side, but it attracts many young career professionals attracted to the temperate weather, great nightlife, and close access to one of the emerging big cities in the U.S.
