Rochester Ranked #2 by Livability

Rochester has been ranked #2 in the latest ranking of the top 100 best places to live by Livability.com.  Rochester was ranked 7th last year.  Topping the list this year was Madison, Wisconsin which was ranked 5th last year.

Livability says its ranking of 100 small to medium sized cities in 30 states is the culmination of months of research involving community amenities, education, sustainability, transportation, housing and the economy.

More than 2,000 cities were evaluated on more than 40 data points.

Every city with a population between 20,000 and 350,000 was considered.  Sources included the best public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Walk Score, GreatSchools.com and Esri.  The research team was supported by an advisory board of the leading academics, authors, policy makers and practitioners in the places space.

Here is what Livability said about the city:

“ The founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester believed the city needed a vibrant arts culture to attract top physicians. Today Rochester attracts many young residents who quickly fall in love with the city's creative vibe. In addition to excellent health care, Rochester gives residents a stable economy, recreational assets and a large collection of restaurants and unique shops. “