Rochester and Two More Minnesota Cities Named Some of the Best Places to Live

An annual study done by Livability ranked the 100 best places to live in the country. Those 100 places were broken down into the top 25 in each section of the country. In the Midwest's portion, there are three Minnesota cities that made the list, two Wisconsin cities, and two Iowa cities.

To determine these rankings, I couldn't find a specific breakdown of what they looked at in each town. However, based on why they selected the places they did, it seems that things to do, places to work, how family-friendly the area is, and safety are some of the big factors.

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So let's get into the best places to live in the Midwest!

Two Wisconsin Cities Named the Best Places to Live

We'll start with the two Wisconsin cities that made the list and those would be...

Madison at number 15

and Appleton at number 20.

Livability writes that they named Madison one of the best places to live because of the many ways to enjoy the outdoors, how walkable and bike-friendly the city is, all of the fun and free events there are, and the "diverse and resilient economy."

As for Appleton, they made the list because of their "safe neighborhoods, affordable homes and high-quality health care provided by three major regional hospital systems."

Two Iowa Cities Named the Best Places to Live

The Iowa cities named the best places to live in the Midwest include...

Cedar Rapids at number 14

and Davenport at number 21.

Livability writes that Cedar Rapids ranked in the top 25 because of its stable and affordable housing prices, it's diverse and welcoming, it's becoming a tech hub, and there's a variety of arts, music, and food.

As for Davenport, they say there's a lower cost of living and they have award-winning healthcare systems. They also have "great museums, hundreds of miles of trails for walking and biking, and a fun food scene that includes craft breweries and food trucks."

Three Minnesota Cities Named the Best Places to Live

As for our Minnesota towns that made the list...

Bloomington came in at number 7

Minneapolis and number 12

and Rochester at number 18!

About Bloomington, Livability says "they have A+ schools, fantastic health care, unrivaled parks and some unexpected gems like a peaceful Japanese garden and a ski hill". There's also plenty to do with all of the surrounding lakes and the Mall of America.

They say Minneapolis is one of the best places to live because of the "thriving arts and culture scene and cosmopolitan restaurants". Plus, Minneapolis is very welcoming to people from all backgrounds, so there's a great community aspect.

And finally, Rochester made the list of the best places to live! They say Rochester made the list because of the "endless opportunities for residents to create a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle." They also talk about our great restaurants and shout out Thai Pop and Thirsty Belgian specifically. Plus, of course, we're home to Mayo Clinic.