15 Places With the Best Quality of Life in America

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

Which U.S. cities are setting the gold standard for quality of life?

To find out, LawnStarter ranked the leading cities for quality of life.

We compared 500 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 16 categories. We considered life expectancy, unemployment rates, state rankings of workers’ rights, and food security, among 53 total metrics.

See if your city landed in the following. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology at the end.

1. Redmond, WA

• Overall Score: 71.55
• Environment Rank: 294
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 153
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 197
• Health Care Access Rank: 179
• Physical Health Rank: 12
• Mental Health Rank: 95
• Economic Stability Rank: 18
• Employment Protection Rank: 9
• Housing Affordability Rank: 29
• Safety Rank: 196
• Education Rank: 3
• Leisure Time Rank: 20
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 76
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 122
• Family and Food Security Rank: 26
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 28

2. Newton, MA

• Overall Score: 70.60
• Environment Rank: 210
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 372
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 143
• Health Care Access Rank: 13
• Physical Health Rank: 36
• Mental Health Rank: 12
• Economic Stability Rank: 35
• Employment Protection Rank: 26
• Housing Affordability Rank: 13
• Safety Rank: 25
• Education Rank: 2
• Leisure Time Rank: 195
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 319
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 234
• Family and Food Security Rank: 4
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 24

3. Woodbury, MN

• Overall Score: 70.02
• Environment Rank: 357
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 117
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 2
• Health Care Access Rank: 67
• Physical Health Rank: 54
• Mental Health Rank: 41
• Economic Stability Rank: 10
• Employment Protection Rank: 222
• Housing Affordability Rank: 100
• Safety Rank: 27
• Education Rank: 22
• Leisure Time Rank: 17
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 174
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 151
• Family and Food Security Rank: 1
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 31

4. Bellevue, WA

• Overall Score: 69.71
• Environment Rank: 254
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 153
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 232
• Health Care Access Rank: 40
• Physical Health Rank: 15
• Mental Health Rank: 100
• Economic Stability Rank: 54
• Employment Protection Rank: 9
• Housing Affordability Rank: 54
• Safety Rank: 277
• Education Rank: 9
• Leisure Time Rank: 29
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 105
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 18
• Family and Food Security Rank: 29
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 35

5. Pleasanton, CA

• Overall Score: 69.68
• Environment Rank: 87
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 101
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 144
• Health Care Access Rank: 35
• Physical Health Rank: 17
• Mental Health Rank: 28
• Economic Stability Rank: 67
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 164
• Safety Rank: 91
• Education Rank: 13
• Leisure Time Rank: 48
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 341
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 46
• Family and Food Security Rank: 22
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 29

6. Carmel, IN

• Overall Score: 69.54
• Environment Rank: 475
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 50
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 1
• Health Care Access Rank: 2
• Physical Health Rank: 62
• Mental Health Rank: 26
• Economic Stability Rank: 1
• Employment Protection Rank: 355
• Housing Affordability Rank: 5
• Safety Rank: 5
• Education Rank: 25
• Leisure Time Rank: 6
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 72
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 483
• Family and Food Security Rank: 15
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 33

7. Plymouth, MN

• Overall Score: 68.95
• Environment Rank: 252
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 93
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 33
• Health Care Access Rank: 140
• Physical Health Rank: 94
• Mental Health Rank: 43
• Economic Stability Rank: 5
• Employment Protection Rank: 222
• Housing Affordability Rank: 27
• Safety Rank: 62
• Education Rank: 224
• Leisure Time Rank: 9
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 54
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 151
• Family and Food Security Rank: 28
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 1

8. San Ramon, CA

• Overall Score: 68.35
• Environment Rank: 168
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 377
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 103
• Health Care Access Rank: 137
• Physical Health Rank: 18
• Mental Health Rank: 9
• Economic Stability Rank: 40
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 211
• Safety Rank: 30
• Education Rank: 31
• Leisure Time Rank: 39
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 435
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 46
• Family and Food Security Rank: 8
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 6

9. Irvine, CA

• Overall Score: 68.21
• Environment Rank: 9
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 122
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 444
• Health Care Access Rank: 4
• Physical Health Rank: 16
• Mental Health Rank: 20
• Economic Stability Rank: 136
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 446
• Safety Rank: 71
• Education Rank: 11
• Leisure Time Rank: 52
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 446
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 16
• Family and Food Security Rank: 37
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 42

10. Castle Rock, CO

• Overall Score: 68.16
• Environment Rank: 254
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 220
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 6
• Health Care Access Rank: 10
• Physical Health Rank: 10
• Mental Health Rank: 57
• Economic Stability Rank: 7
• Employment Protection Rank: 182
• Housing Affordability Rank: 57
• Safety Rank: 12
• Education Rank: 70
• Leisure Time Rank: 72
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 224
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 181
• Family and Food Security Rank: 17
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 93

11. Redwood City, CA

• Overall Score: 67.56
• Environment Rank: 80
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 1
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 155
• Health Care Access Rank: 21
• Physical Health Rank: 7
• Mental Health Rank: 11
• Economic Stability Rank: 108
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 215
• Safety Rank: 220
• Education Rank: 95
• Leisure Time Rank: 165
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 246
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 46
• Family and Food Security Rank: 20
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 94

12. Fremont, CA

• Overall Score: 67.22
• Environment Rank: 50
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 101
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 384
• Health Care Access Rank: 35
• Physical Health Rank: 19
• Mental Health Rank: 16
• Economic Stability Rank: 91
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 268
• Safety Rank: 243
• Education Rank: 62
• Leisure Time Rank: 89
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 411
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 19
• Family and Food Security Rank: 5
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 26

13. Sunnyvale, CA

• Overall Score: 67.19
• Environment Rank: 37
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 236
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 356
• Health Care Access Rank: 155
• Physical Health Rank: 1
• Mental Health Rank: 2
• Economic Stability Rank: 78
• Employment Protection Rank: 60
• Housing Affordability Rank: 202
• Safety Rank: 357
• Education Rank: 14
• Leisure Time Rank: 62
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 487
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 25
• Family and Food Security Rank: 6
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 2

14. Naperville, IL

• Overall Score: 67.15
• Environment Rank: 209
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 445
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 292
• Health Care Access Rank: 49
• Physical Health Rank: 232
• Mental Health Rank: 7
• Economic Stability Rank: 17
• Employment Protection Rank: 198
• Housing Affordability Rank: 24
• Safety Rank: 18
• Education Rank: 5
• Leisure Time Rank: 65
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 238
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 23
• Family and Food Security Rank: 11
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 30

15. Seattle, WA

• Overall Score: 66.84
• Environment Rank: 236
• Air and Water Quality Rank: 153
• Housing and Infrastructure Rank: 133
• Health Care Access Rank: 96
• Physical Health Rank: 22
• Mental Health Rank: 180
• Economic Stability Rank: 120
• Employment Protection Rank: 9
• Housing Affordability Rank: 123
• Safety Rank: 258
• Education Rank: 28
• Leisure Time Rank: 35
• Recreational Facilities Rank: 298
• Social and Personal Freedoms Rank: 8
• Family and Food Security Rank: 61
• Health and Wellness Access Rank: 76

Methodology

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Leading Cities for Quality of Life.

We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 16 categories: Environment, Air and Water Quality, Housing and Infrastructure, Healthcare Access, Physical Health, Mental Health, Economic Stability, Employment Protection, Housing Affordability, Safety, Education, Leisure Time, Recreational Facilities, Social and Personal Freedoms, Family and Food Security, and Health and Wellness Access.

For each of the 500 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1).

Here are the factors:

• Sustainable Cities Rank
• Tree Cover (County Level – max value for multiple counties)
• Percentage of Sunshine
• Share of Residents who Find the City Dirty and Untidy
• RSEI Score
• Water Quality Violations Present
• Share of Homes Without Complete Kitchen Facilities
• Share of Homes Without Complete Plumbing Facilities
• Share of Homes with Severe Housing Problems
• Transit Score
• Insured Rate
• Health Care Professional Shortage Areas
• Number of Hospital Beds per 100,000 Residents
• Quality of Public Hospitals
• Life Expectancy
• Obesity Prevalence
• Physical Inactivity Rate
• Preventable Hospitalization Rate
• Share of Adults Reporting Frequent Mental Distress
• Average Number of Poor Mental Health Days Per Month
• Depression Rate
• Suicide Rate (Past 5 years)
• Inadequate Sleep Rate
• Change in Population in Last 5 Years
• Unemployment Rate
• People Living Below Poverty Level
• Total Consumer Expenditures Per Household (adj. per income)
• Purchasing Power Index
• State Ranking of Workers’ Rights
• Maximum Length of Paid Family Leave Allowed (in weeks)
• Housing Affordability
• Median Home Square Footage per Average Number of Household Occupants
• Crime Index
• Gun Violence
• Mass Shootings
• Pedestrian Fatalities per 100,000 Residents
• Natural Disasters Rank
• Average Student Proficiency In School (Math, Languages, Science)
• Percentage of Population with a Bachelor’s Degree
• Access to Libraries
• Average Leisure Time per Day in Houses (in State)
• Leisure Physical Activity Rate
• Number of Trails
• Biggest Yards Ranking
• Number of Playgrounds per 10K Households with Children
• Personal Liberties (Abortion Laws)
• Municipal Equality Index Score (LGBTQ)
• Best Cities to Get Stoned Rank
• Separation and Divorce Rate
• Food Insecurity Rate
• Access to Exercise Opportunities
• Share of Population in Bad Health