New Tool Ranks Livability of Cities and Neighborhoods Nationwide

Recently, AARP announced the launch of a new web-based tool, AARP Livability Index. This tool, which has been over a year in the making, was designed to be a resource to rank how livable a city or neighborhood is across the nation.

With this new tool, AARP Bulletin has crunched the numbers to exclusively bring you the Top 10 Most Livable Cities and Neighborhoods for people of all ages, not just Americans 50-plus. The lists are based on a comprehensive range of metrics such as housing, community features and services, adequate mobility options and more so you can live more comfortably and in good health.

Most Livable Neighborhoods

1. Mifflin West, Madison, Wis.
2. Upper West Side, Manhattan
3. Downtown Crossing, Boston
4. South of Market, San Francisco
5. Washburn, La Crosse, Wis.
6. Downtown, Sioux Falls, S.D.
7. Southside, Virginia, Minn.
8. Downtown, Bismarck, N.D.
9. Downtown, Seattle
10. Downtown, Los Alamos, N.M.

Most Livable Cities

Large (Population 500K and above)

1. San Francisco
2. Boston
3. Seattle
4. Milwaukee
5. New York
6. Philadelphia
7. Portland, Ore.
8. Denver
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Baltimore

Medium (Population 100K-500K)

1. Madison, Wis.
2. St. Paul, Minn.
3. Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. Rochester, Minn.
5. Minneapolis
6. Arlington, Va.
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
8. Lincoln, Neb.
9. Fargo, N.D.
10. Cambridge, Mass.

Small (Population 25K-100K)

1. La Crosse, Wis.
2. Fitchburg, Wis.
3. Bismarck, N.D.
4. Sun Prairie, Wis.
5. Duluth, Minn.
6. Union City, N.J.
7. Grand Island, Neb.
8. Kirkland, Wash.
9. Marion, Iowa
10. West Bend, Wis.

Best Cities for Staying Healthy

Large

1. San Francisco
2. San Jose, Calif.
3. Seattle
4. Denver
5. San Diego
6. Portland, Ore.
7. Albuquerque, N.M.
8. Charlotte, N.C.
9. Los Angeles
10. Boston

Medium

1. Arlington, Va.
2. Sunnyvale, Calif.
3. Costa Mesa, Calif.
4. Irvine, Calif.
5. Santa Maria, Calif.
6. Fullerton, Calif.
7. Orange, Calif.
8. Berkeley, Calif.
9. Dale City, Calif.
10. Santa Clara, Calif.

Small

1. Novato, Calif.
2. San Rafael, Calif.
3. Los Altos, Calif.
4. Burlingame, Calif.
5. San Bruno, Calif.
6. Potomac, Md.
7. North Bethesda, Md.
8. Cupertino, Calif.
9. Mountain View, Calif.
10. San Mateo, Calif.

Easiest Cities to Get Around

Large

1. San Francisco
2. Boston
3. New York
4. Milwaukee
5. Philadelphia
6. Portland, Ore.
7. Baltimore
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Chicago
10. Seattle

Medium

1. Buffalo, N.Y.
2. Cambridge, Mass.
3. Minneapolis
4. Allentown, Pa.
5. Erie, Pa.
6. St. Paul, Minn.
7. Providence, R.I.
8. Jersey City, N.J.
9. Boulder, Colo.
10. Fort Wayne, Ind.