Livability.com ranked the top 100 small to mid-sized cities in the U.S. to live in, and our beloved Madison came in first. Though it is not hard to comprehend why, what is it that makes Madison so great, compared to the rest of the country?
To rank the cities, Livability.com analyzed public and private data sources, in order to determine which areas made the cut. Here is what they said about Madison: "Both a capitol city and a hip college town, Madison provides residents with affordable housing, great schools, excellent health care, and a wide range of recreational activities and entertainment options. Population: 234,586. Median household income: $53,958. Median home price: $217,500."
Madison also made an appearance in Livability.com's Top 100 Places to Live 2014, Top 10 College Towns 2013, Top 10 Foodie Cities 2013, Top 10 Music Cities 2012, and Top 10 College Towns 2011.
Livability tells us that because Madison is home to the state's number one university, there is greater stability for the population and economy. Madison offers affordable living, research investment, a wide range of jobs, and a lakeside location. Apparently, our mayor Paul Soglin worked harder than ever in order for Madison to be the number one place to live, and made an effort to improve every aspect of the city. In order to score well on Livability.com's rankings, a city has to excel in amenities, demographics, economy, education, healthcare, housing, social and civic capital, and transportation. Madison scored 20 points higher than the runner up (Rochester, Minn.), so it is no wonder we made it into the top 5% of livable communities in the U.S.
Personally, I did not realize Madison was so well rounded. It just goes to show that there is so much about this city we haven't seen, done, or heard of yet. Take advantage of it, Badgers, because not everyone gets to go to college in the number one city in America.
