The Queen City has once again been ranked among the best cities in America in a new report by US News.
Charlotte climbed all the way up to #5 in the official US News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Places to Live rankings, surpassing both Raleigh (#6) and Charleston (#13). This marks a significant climb from last year’s #8 spot and 2022’s #30 spot.
The new report evaluates 150 of the largest cities in America, based on job market, value, quality of life, and desirability. This year, U.S. News emphasized city value and job market more heavily. Quality of life, which includes crime rates, education, and commute times, holds the most weight at 32%.
Other notable Carolina cities ranked high included Greenville, SC (#4), Asheville (#17), and Greensboro (#23). Overall, the Carolinas dominated the list this year, with both North and South Carolina having more cities in the top 25 than any other state in the nation.
U.S. News sources data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and its internal resources for these rankings.
