2 of the 10 Best Places to Live in the U.S. Are out West—and They Might Surprise You

The Mamas & the Papas were known for California dreamin’, and one specific neighborhood is reportedly among the best places to live in the country. In fact, two neighborhoods out West—City Center in Santa Monica and South Lake Union in Seattle—made the list of the best towns, suburbs, and neighborhoods to live in the United States, according to a recent study by Niche. 

Rankings were determined based on a number of factors, including the cost of living, higher education rate, crime and safety, weather, and walkability. The analysis used more than 100 million reviews and survey responses, as well as public data from the Department of Education, U.S. Census, FBI, and more.

Courtesy of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism

City Center took fifth and South Lake Union followed closely behind in the sixth position. The rest of the top spots were filled by six destinations in the South (three in Atlanta alone!), one in the Midwest, and one in the Northeast. Here’s the full list of the top 10.

• Colonial Village, a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia
• Atlantic Station, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
• Chesterbrook, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Harbour Island, a neighborhood in Tampa, Florida
• City Center, a neighborhood in Santa Monica, California
• South Lake Union, a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington
• Carmel, a town in Indiana
• Midtown, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
• Madison, a suburb of Huntsville, Alabama
• Johns Creek, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia

Another area out West didn’t rank until number 21, which was given to Evergreen Park, a neighborhood in Palo Alto, California. 

The report also ranked the best places to buy a house, for families, young professionals, and more. One interesting result was a shout-out to St. Johns, Arizona, which scored fourth among the best places to buy a house in the U.S. The West also cleaned up in the category, “Best Cities for Outdoor Activities in America,” with L.A., Seattle, Portland, Irvine, and Bellevue, covering the top five.