Asheville named one of the ‘Best Places to Live’ in America

Asheville is among the “Best Places to Live” in America, according to a new study released Sept. 16 by Livability.com.

Asheville ranks 12th on the media site’s list of “Top 100 small to mid-sized cities in the U.S.” In its explanation, Livability.com describes Asheville as “a picturesque city that welcomes many tourists who visit attractions like nightclubs, performance venues and microbreweries.” It goes on to note: “A high-achieving public school system is in place along with the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a strong health-care network includes Asheville VA Medical Center and Mission Health System.”

The top three cities on the list are Madison, Wi., Rochester, Minn. and Arlington, Va.

“Any of these cities would be a great place to live,” says Matt Carmichael, Livability’s editor. “This is a great time for America’s small to mid-sized cities that are trying to lure the huge Millennial generation of potential home-buyers. Creating a livable community is key to attracting businesses and movers, as well as for retaining residents.”

More than 2,000 cities were evaluated in the study, according to a press release. Livability analyzed more than 40 data points that were then grouped into eight categories – economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care. The eight scores were weighted based on a survey conducted for Livability.com by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading global market research firm. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as the factors they would consider in selecting another city. Every city with a population between 20,000 and 350,000 was considered. Sources included public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Walk Score, GreatSchools.com and Esri, according to a press release.