DES MOINES, Iowa — If you've navigated the skywalk, stopped by the Iowa State Capitol complex or spent a night out on Court Avenue, this might not surprise you: Des Moines has bee named as one of the country's best places to live by U.S. News & World Report.
Des Moines took the No. 19 spot in the nation, with the evaluation praising the city's compatibility for families and those searching for jobs, if not tourism.
"The capital of this so-called flyover state may not top your to-visit list, but Des Moines is a great place to live and raise a family," it reads.
U.S. News & World Report analyzed the 150 most populous metro areas in the nation using a few metrics, including quality of life (36%), value (23%), desirability (22%) and job market (19%).
Des Moines scored 6.6 overall, with a 6.8 quality of life and 7.6 value score honing in on Des Moines' relative affordability and "Iowa Nice" residents:
"The metro area of more than 680,000 has a small-town, know-your-neighbor feel to it. It's a place where you'll bump into people you know at the grocery store and get invited to backyard barbecues."
Des Moines came in at No. 14 nationwide in the 2022-23 assessment, meaning Iowa's most populated city has dropped nearly five spots in the ranking since last year.
Here are the top five cities:
- Green Bay, Wis.
- Huntsville, Ala.
- Raleigh and Durham, N.C.
- Boulder, Colo.
- Sarasota, Fla.
Des Moines also ranked 95th in U.S. News' "Best Places to Retire" list, one lower than last year's No. 94 spot.
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