Best places

Rankings, by the numbers

Built from Census, tax, crime and weather data — no paid placements.

Cheapest US cities to rent (50k+ people)
Cities of 50,000 or more with the lowest median rent, from Census figures.
Cities under $1,500 rent with good schools
Median rent under $1,500 a month and a school rating of 7/10 or better, ranked by schools.
Best suburbs for families
Suburbs ranked by school rating, then lower violent crime.
Safest US cities (50k+ people)
Lowest violent crime per 1,000 residents among cities of 50,000 or more, from FBI figures. The US rate is 3.6.
Sunniest US cities
The most sunny days a year.
Affordable cities with mild winters
Winter averages of 50°F or warmer and median rent under $1,800, ranked by rent.
Best cities with no state income tax
Cities in states with no tax on wages, ranked by how much a $75k salary leaves after taxes and rent.

Best places to live, by state