Boulder receives top rankings for quality of life (No. 1) and being a safe place to live (No. 7)

Boulder has been named the No. 1 place in America to call home by US News & World Report in its newly released list of Best Places to Live.

In explaining Boulder’s ranking at the top of its list, the report highlighted Boulder's natural beauty and abundance of opportunities for outdoor recreation, including parks, trails and open space. It also noted Boulder's extensive bike network, thriving economy, lively arts community, dynamic Pearl Street and impressive restaurant scene.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition, which reaffirms what our community members already know,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Our community deserves credit for the incredible place we've built together over decades, from preserving tens of thousands of acres of open space to building an innovative, robust economy. Even though we face challenging times during this global pandemic, Boulder will emerge stronger because of the amazing people who live here.”

The report also named Boulder the No. 1 in the nation for Best Places to Live for Quality of Life and No. 7 for Safest Places to Live. Boulder has received a variety of community honors over the years, including being named the Happiest City in America by National Geographic.

The US News & World Report 2020-2021 Best Places to Live list was determined based on a methodology that factored in job market, housing affordability, quality of life, desirability and net migration ratings. They were determined in part using a public survey of thousands of individuals throughout the U.S. to find out what qualities they consider important in a place to live. The methodology also factors in census and other federal data, as well as the U.S. News rankings of the Best High Schools and Best Hospitals.

Three other Colorado cities made the list of Best Places to Live, including Denver (No. 2), Colorado Springs (No. 4) and Fort Collins (No. 5).

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