According to Clever Real Estate’s new survey, geographical preferences are broadly shifting from the Northeast and the West Coast to the South. Places like New York City, Los Angeles, and California have long been viewed as desirable for families and young professionals, but they all rank at the bottom of Clever’s overall list. On the other hand, up-and-comers like North Carolina — and its two biggest cities, Raleigh and Charlotte — Montana and South Carolina all landed in the top five.
The top 10 cities to live, according to Americans, are:
1. Nashville, Tennessee
2. Denver, Colorado
3. Raleigh, North Carolina
4. Charlotte, North Carolina
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia
6. Orlando, Florida
7. Memphis, Tennessee
8. Jacksonville, Florida
9. New Orleans, Louisiana.
10. Austin, Texas
In third and fourth place are two North Carolina cities — Raleigh and Charlotte, respectively — ranking in the top six for nicest residents and most underrated cities. Rounding out the top five is Virginia Beach, Virginia, which earned high marks for the niceness of its residents and its natural beauty.
The top 10 states to live, according to Americans, are:
1. North Carolina
2. Montana
3. South Carolina
4. Maine
5. Hawaii
6. Tennessee
7. New Hampshire
8. Kentucky
9. Colorado
10. Missouri
With Raleigh and Charlotte ranking in the top five on the best cities list, it’s no surprise North Carolina clinched the top spot on the best states list. Most respondents lauded its natural beauty and the friendliness of its residents. Second-place Montana is, in many ways, North Carolina’s western counterpart. The state is full of natural beauty and laid-back residents, but its more populous and well-known neighbors often overshadow it.
The rest of the top five consists of three states — South Carolina, Maine and Hawaii — known for their excellent beaches, green spaces and respectful, hospitable residents.
The bottom of the rankings shows how much public opinion has shifted on where people want to live. New York and California, long considered among the best states in America, have plunged to the bottom of the rankings. Americans rank California as the fourth-worst state and New York as the second-worst state. New Jersey came in last at No. 50.
Americans consider Detroit the worst city, followed by Philadelphia, Cleveland, Ohio, and Riverside, California. Three out of these four cities are in the long-declining Rust Belt. No region of the United States fared worse over the postwar period than this area of the country — mostly because of the decline of manufacturing, according to the Federal Reserve. But Rust Belt cities are among the most affordable places to buy a home, suggesting there’s more to desirability than simple affordability.
