Naperville, Illinois, Named the Best Place to Live in the U.S.

• Naperville, Illinois, topped Niche.com’s ranking of the best places to live in America for the second year in a row.
• The city won thanks to a combination of affordable housing, excellent public schools, and easy access to outdoor activities.
• Niche.com also reported that Texas is the most affordable state overall.

Thinking about relocating? You should only go to the best of the best—and a new list is unveiling exactly where those destinations are across the U.S.

Today, Niche.com, a platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools, released its 11th annual list of the best places to live in America. This year's rankings include 230 cities and over 18,000 smaller communities across the nation.

Naperville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, was once again named the best city in America after coming in first in 2024, too.

Niche.com shared that Naperville won thanks to its unique combination of affordable housing, incredible public schools, and easy access to outdoor activities, adding it's especially attractive “when you also factor in the job market that is available in Chicago.”

The smaller city of 149,424 residents offers “a dense suburban fee, and most residents own their homes,” Niche.com explained. According to Zillow, the current median home value there is $569,424.

“In Naperville, there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Naperville, and residents tend to have moderate political views,” the report reads.

Joining Naperville at the top of the list of best cities is The Woodlands in Texas, which is in second place, and Cambridge, Massachusetts—in third. Arlington, Virginia, and Irvine, California, round out the top five.

“Where you live shapes so many aspects of your life, from career opportunities to the sense of community you feel,” Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche.com, said in a press release shared with Travel + Leisure.

The new report also noted that Texas emerged as the most affordable state overall, “securing the most spots in the top 100 for best cities to buy a house and cities with the lowest cost of living.”

Those interested in making a move can view the best places or suburbs to live rankings and filter each by state, metro area, or county. The website even breaks out specialized lists like the best places for families, young professionals, homebuyers, and retirees so everyone can find their perfect spot.

You can read more at niche.com/places-to-live.