U.S. News & World Report just released their list of the 125 Best Places to Live in the USA, and Washington, D.C., came in eighth place!

District residents will not be surprised to hear that Washington, D.C., ranks eighth on the Best Places to Live list. Living in Washington, D.C., is certainly an exciting (though sometimes frustrating!) experience. While we can sometimes get bogged down in traffic, we live in the nation’s capital with ready access to many free, historic sights and tons of local and diverse culture. Furthermore, our weather and seasons are absolutely beautiful, and the rowhouses stand out in any season. Washington, D.C., also has a thriving economy with a highly educated workforce. In fact, we were just voted one of the most innovative cities! As U.S. News & World Report states,

“The Washington, D.C., metro area has the perks of a large urban area. It's serviced by an extensive public transit system, and is home to plenty of restaurants, entertainment venues, a variety of museums, public parks and other cultural sites. Meanwhile, each neighborhood in the District and its surrounding towns has its own atmosphere. Residents gather for block parties, mingle at dog parks and converse at coffee shops, creating an ambiance similar to that of a much smaller community.”

[caption id="attachment_8683" align="aligncenter" width="611"] Courtesy of NBC[/caption] Washington, D.C., received an overall score of 7.2/10 with a 6.4 score for Quality of Life and a 7.4 score for Value. According to U.S. News & World Report’s methodology, the Value Index is measured by how comfortably the average resident can afford to live in a place. The Quality of Life Index is measured by how satisfied residents are with their daily lives. The news outlet analyzed factors that would affect residents’ quality of life, such as crime rates, quality healthcare availability, and quality of education. The Midwest did very well in the "125 Best Places to Live in the USA" rankings. The top 10 areas are:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Colorado Springs, Colorado
3. Denver, Colorado
4. Des Moines, Iowa
5. Fayetteville, Arkansas
6. Portland, Oregon
7. Huntsville, Alabama
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
10. Seattle, Washington

U.S. News & World Report hopes this list can help highlight desirable areas across the country for residents to settle down in. The news outlet said in a press release, “U.S. News created the Best Places to Live to highlight areas across the country that have the characteristics residents are looking for, including steady job growth and affordability. The top-ranked places are areas where citizens can feel the most fulfilled socially, physically, and financially." You can check out the full Best Places to Live in the USA list here. What do you think? Do you agree with the rankings? What do you think the No. 1 spot should be? Have you lived in any of the other cities? Leave a comment below!

Looking for some fun weekend plans? Here are five things you can do in historic Anacostia!