Livability: Trio of Arizona cities ranked as best places to live
Mar 10, 2019, 4:22 AM | Updated: 12:13 pm
(Facebook Photo/Tempe Town Lake)
(Facebook Photo/Tempe Town Lake)
PHOENIX — Not one, not two, but three.
Residents in Tempe, Mesa and Tucson must be living it up as the three Arizona cities made Livability’s top 100 best places to live.
Ranking more than 1,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 1,000,000, the website took into account eight categories (amenities, demographics, education, economy, health care, housing, social and civic capital and transportation and infrastructure) in compiling the list.
Livability also asked 1,000 millennials the simple question of; what matters most when deciding where to live?
An overwhelming number picked affordability as the top factor.
Landing at No. 18 was Tempe.
Faring well in economy, housing and infrastructure, the home of the Arizona State Sun Devils has a lot going for it.
With numerous festivals, spring training, hiking and biking trails and Tempe Town Lake, Tempe offers something for just about everyone, according to Livability.
Head down the U.S. 60 and you’ll find Mesa.
Sitting at No. 32, Mesa boasts “adventure” with hiking and artwork throughout the city. Mesa also scored high in amenities, housing and infrastructure. One of the biggest obsessions in the area are the Chicago Cubs who play at Sloan Park during spring training, according to Livability.
The nearby lakes and river also add to the lore, with Apache, Canyon, Roosevelt and Saguaro lakes and the Salt River in driving distance.
And don’t forget to try out the Mexican food, or any of the golf courses littered around the area.
Nearing the end of the top 100, you’ll find Tucson sitting at 99th.
With stellar air quality, Tucson did well in the health category. Housing and infrastructure were Tucson’s other top scores.
While the city doesn’t have quite the same night life or vibe as the cities to its north, Tucsonians can enjoy hikes to Seven Falls, the numerous golf courses around the area and just being outside in general.
And with a median home value of $176,844, Tucson holds the best value on the list among Arizona cities. Both Mesa and Tempe were over $200,000 in median home value.
Taking home the top spot was Boise, ID, while St. Louis, MO rounded out top 100.
