Where should you live to guarantee a good time?
When you think about moving to a new city, it’s not just the job opportunities and affordability that come into play — you also want to be sure you’ll enjoy living there. For that reason, we came up with a list of the Most Fun Places to Live in the U.S. We started with our Best Places to Live rankings, then considered factors including access to parks and outdoor activities, cultural attractions, restaurants, professional sports teams, shopping venues, nightlife, concerts and the popularity of each location as a destination for flights. Finally, we ranked each place in these categories against the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S. to come up with an overall score. Read on for the 30 Most Fun Places to Live.
30. Madison, Wisconsin
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 24
Metro Population: 620,368
Median Home Price: $228,350
Median Annual Salary: $47,490
Parks Ranking: 5
Restaurants Ranking: 27
Shopping Ranking: 10
Madison rounds out the Most Fun Places to Live list, ranking No. 5 for its abundance of parks and No. 3 for concert venues. With more than 140 concert venues in a metro area with a population of just over half a million people, Madison residents are able to enjoy their favorite music just about any time they want.
29. Washington, District of Columbia
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 8
Metro Population: 5,863,608
Median Home Price: $375,700
Median Annual Salary: $64,930
Parks Ranking: 21
Restaurants Ranking: 64
Shopping Ranking: 64
The District of Columbia metro area boasts 558 attractions, including the Lincoln Memorial, 19 Smithsonian museums and galleries, and, of course, the White House. The city’s expansive Rock Creek Park also helped the nation’s capital earn the No. 21 spot for parks out of the 100 places ranked.
Visit U.S. News Travel to find things to do in the District of Columbia.
28. Columbus, Ohio
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 50
Metro Population: 1,948,188
Median Home Price: $167,000
Median Annual Salary: $46,470
Parks Ranking: 26
Restaurants Ranking: 52
Shopping Ranking: 34
Ohio’s capital city makes the list with solid scores for its parks, concert venues and shopping. Residents can shop at the popular Easton Town Center or enjoy nature at places like the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. With more than 2.5 million arrivals by air to Columbus in 2015, the metro area ranks No. 26 for popularity of visits throughout the country.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Columbus.
27. Boise, Idaho
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 6
Metro Population: 639,616
Median Home Price: $232,500
Median Annual Salary: $41,550
Parks Ranking: 12
Restaurants Ranking: 93
Shopping Ranking: 19
Idaho’s most populous city ranked near the top of our overall Best Places to Live list (No. 6). In considering the Most Fun Places to Live, Boise ranked 19th for its accessibility to shopping venues and 12th for its parks. (That’s no suprise given the more than 1,600 acres of parkland and almost 4,000 acres of open space in the city limits alone.) With the lowest crime rates out of the 100 metro areas we ranked, Boise is also took the No. 4 spot on our list of Best Places to Live for Quality of Life.
26. New York
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 96
Metro Population: 20,799,260
Median Home Price: $378,190
Median Annual Salary: $59,060
Parks Ranking: 70
Restaurants Ranking: 16
Shopping Ranking: 90
The “City That Never Sleeps” scored high for its popularity as a destination, with more than 28 million arrivals by air in 2015, as well as its vast array of restaurants. New York also ranked third for accessibility and diversity of sporting events. While the city is well known for its high-end shopping and has more than 1,500 shopping venues throughout the metro area, the region’s massive population and few malls or shopping centers make it harder for people to easily access multiple stores at once.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in New York City.
25. Fresno, California
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 97
Metro Population: 948,844
Median Home Price: $221,375
Median Annual Salary: $42,180
Parks Ranking: 1
Restaurants Ranking: 67
Shopping Ranking: 20
Fresno ranks No. 1 out of the 100 metro areas we considered for its many parks that are easily accessible to residents. While the center of the San Joaquin Valley is surrounded by farms and agriculture, it also offers plenty of urban attractions: The Fresno area ranks No. 12 for concert venues and No. 8 for nightlife.
24. Las Vegas
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 85
Metro Population: 2,003,613
Median Home Price: $193,800
Median Annual Salary: $41,800
Parks Ranking: 14
Restaurants Ranking: 3
Shopping Ranking: 97
For people living outside the Las Vegas area, Sin City is a prime vacation spot for gambling, entertainment, clubs and bars to make the night last long. The appeal certainly isn’t lost on Las Vegas residents, either, as the city ranks third for restaurants. But that’s not the only thing that makes this glitzy destination a fun place to live. Vegas ranks No. 14 for parks, with plenty of family facilities, dog parks and hiking trails throughout the area.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Las Vegas.
23. Sacramento, California
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 68
Metro Population: 2,197,422
Median Home Price: $315,875
Median Annual Salary: $51,970
Parks Ranking: 31
Restaurants Ranking: 31
Shopping Ranking: 38
California’s capital city comes in at No. 23 with consistent scores in each category in the Most Fun Places list. With 255 parks in the area and more than 300 attractions, it’s not hard for Sacramento residents to find activities to fill their free time. The metro region’s weakest score was in access to a variety of professional sports, where it still performs respectably at No. 40 with the Kings (NBA) and River Cats (Triple-A baseball).
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Sacramento.
22. Philadelphia
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 82
Metro Population: 6,015,336
Median Home Price: $232,950
Median Annual Salary: $51,740
Parks Ranking: 58
Restaurants Ranking: 23
Shopping Ranking: 59
The birthplace of the nation comes in at No. 22 on the list of Most Fun Places to Live. Philadelphia sees the 14th most arrivals to its airports (excluding connecting flights) out of the 100 metro areas ranked, and the city scores well for its eclectic restaurant scene, coming in at No. 23 in that category. Philadelphia’s 642 attractions — the third most on the list after New York and Chicago — include Independence Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Philadelphia.
21. Indianapolis
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 43
Metro Population: 1,931,182
Median Home Price: $129,800
Median Annual Salary: $45,580
Parks Ranking: 3
Restaurants Ranking: 85
Shopping Ranking: 41
Indiana’s capital city earns a place on the Most Fun Places to Live list thanks in part to the abundance of quality parks throughout the area. Indianapolis is home to public areas including White River State Park, Eagle Creek Park & Marina and Fort Harrison State Park, which give residents ample opportunity to get out and enjoy walking and biking trails, water sports and the change of seasons. Indianapolis also ranks No. 42 for its attractions, which include the Indianapolis Zoo and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Indianapolis.
20. Pittsburgh
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 47
Metro Population: 2,358,793
Median Home Price: $133,450
Median Annual Salary: $45,420
Parks Ranking: 37
Restaurants Ranking: 10
Shopping Ranking: 56
Pittsburgh ranked 10th in restaurants for its wealth of well-reviewed eateries scattered throughout the metro area. Pittsburgh residents are also diehard fans of their home teams — the area’s professional teams in baseball (Pirates), football (Steelers) and hockey (Penguins) draw large crowds for every home game, and all three stadiums are located near where the Allegheny and Ohio rivers meet in the city.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Pittsburgh.
19. Orlando, Florida
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 44
Metro Population: 2,226,835
Median Home Price: $188,250
Median Annual Salary: $40,200
Parks Ranking: 18
Restaurants Ranking: 35
Shopping Ranking: 22
Of course the home of Disney World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter makes the list of Most Fun Places to Live. Plenty of local parks and ample shopping venues helped Orlando earn its spot. Decent scores for categories such as restaurants and concert venues also ensure residents can find viable entertainment options in Orlando.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Orlando.
18. Honolulu
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 26
Metro Population: 975,690
Median Home Price: $495,000
Median Annual Salary: $47,850
Parks Ranking: 56
Restaurants Ranking: 17
Shopping Ranking: 27
As a prime vacation destination for people throughout the world, Honolulu scores high for its excellent attractions — ranking ninth in that category — and also for offering plenty of restaurants for tourists and locals alike to enjoy. While this hot spot is great for people looking to have fun in their hometown, it comes at a price: Honolulu is the fifth most expensive place to live out of the 100 metros ranked on the overall Best Places to Live list.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Honolulu.
17. Fort Myers, Florida
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 38
Metro Population: 647,554
Median Home Price: $201,925
Median Annual Salary: $38,750
Parks Ranking: 64
Restaurants Ranking: 37
Shopping Ranking: 6
This popular retirement destination is well known for its warm weather and gorgeous beaches, but Fort Myers also has many amenities to make free time enjoyable. Scoring sixth for its shopping options, Fort Myers also has plenty of concert venues throughout the area, ranking No. 8 in that category. Restaurants and attractions are also proportional to the metro area’s relatively small population, with 2,100 restaurants for just under 650,000 people.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Fort Myers.
16. New Orleans
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 91
Metro Population: 1,226,440
Median Home Price: $183,950
Median Annual Salary: $43,070
Parks Ranking: 44
Restaurants Ranking: 11
Shopping Ranking: 4
New Orleans may be best known for its Mardi Gras celebration, but its numerous attractions, restaurants and shopping opportunities keep tourists and residents entertained year-round. New Orleans ranked No. 4 for shopping quality and accessibility, and it ranked No. 11 for restaurants. It’s also no surprise that the area is considered a top spot for nightlife, taking the No. 14 spot for its plentiful bars and clubs that keep people enjoying New Orleans at all hours.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in New Orleans.
15. Chicago
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 90
Metro Population: 9,516,448
Median Home Price: $211,050
Median Annual Salary: $50,410
Parks Ranking: 57
Restaurants Ranking: 14
Shopping Ranking: 80
The Windy City is the No. 15 Most Fun Place to Live, receiving its highest score for sports, where it takes the second spot. Chicago boasts a number of professional sports teams, including two baseball teams (Cubs and White Sox) and teams for football (Bears), basketball (Bulls), hockey (Blackhawks) and soccer (Fire). Being the third-largest city in the country, Chicago and the surrounding area support a mind-boggling number of restaurants and eateries, landing it in the No. 14 spot in that category with more than 14,000 options in the metro region.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Chicago.
14. Phoenix
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 48
Metro Population: 4,337,542
Median Home Price: $215,250
Median Annual Salary: $45,840
Parks Ranking: 11
Restaurants Ranking: 26
Shopping Ranking: 72
Phoenix’s location in the arid southwestern U.S. makes for a big change of scenery compared with the majority of cities on the Most Fun Places to Live list. With its numerous parks, Phoenix offers many opportunities for enjoying the outdoors in places including the Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix Mountains Preserve and the Phoenix Zoo. The city is also a great place for sports fans, with teams for baseball (Diamondbacks), football (Cardinals), basketball (Suns) and hockey (Coyotes), ranking the area No. 12 in that category.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Phoenix.
13. Denver
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 1
Metro Population: 2,651,392
Median Home Price: $301,300
Median Annual Salary: $53,060
Parks Ranking: 40
Restaurants Ranking: 57
Shopping Ranking: 61
The city that took the top spot in the overall Best Places to Live list doesn’t disappoint when it comes to opportunities for fun. Denver is the fifth-best place for sports fans with all the major pro sports covered — the Colorado Rockies for baseball, Denver Broncos for football, Colorado Avalanche for hockey and Colorado Rapids for soccer. Proximity to hiking, skiing and other outdoor activities in and near the Rocky Mountains also make Denver a popular destination for people flying in from throughout the country.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Denver.
12. Boston
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 30
Metro Population: 4,650,876
Median Home Price: $332,042
Median Annual Salary: $60,540
Parks Ranking: 63
Restaurants Ranking: 32
Shopping Ranking: 53
The more than 13 million people who came to Boston by air in 2015 helped the city earn a place on the Most Fun Places to Live list. Like Denver, Boston has a team for each of the five major pro sports leagues in the country — the New England Patriots for football, Boston Red Sox for baseball, Boston Bruins for hockey, Boston Celtics in basketball and the New England Revolution for soccer. The city also has a long list of attractions, including Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Bunker Hill and Boston Children’s Museum, that keep residents out and about.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Boston.
11. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 4
Metro Population: 1,714,629
Median Home Price: $215,730
Median Annual Salary: $47,430
Parks Ranking: 27
Restaurants Ranking: 4
Shopping Ranking: 55
Coming in at No. 11 among the Most Fun Places to Live, Raleigh-Durham also holds the fourth spot on the overall Best Places to Live ranking. Not only do residents enjoy high-quality and easily accessible heath care as well as a healthy job market, they have an abundance of restaurants to enjoy (the city ranked fourth for restaurants). Raleigh-Durham also ranks high (27th) for its many parks in the area.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Raleigh-Durham.
10. Santa Rosa, California
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 62
Metro Population: 491,790
Median Home Price: $495,500
Median Annual Salary: $49,800
Parks Ranking: 15
Restaurants Ranking: 2
Shopping Ranking: 1
It’s no surprise that the heart of California wine country is one of the Most Fun Places to Live — and one of best places to find a great restaurant. With more than 1,000 restaurants for a population of less than 500,000, it ranks No. 2 out of the 100 metro areas on the list. But, of course, that’s not the only reason Santa Rosa is a fun place to live. A bevy of shopping venues lands it at No. 1 in that category, and the city ranks 15th for its 120 parks spread throughout the area.
9. Portland, Maine
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 29
Metro Population: 518,387
Median Home Price: $229,400
Median Annual Salary: $45,480
Parks Ranking: 53
Restaurants Ranking: 6
Shopping Ranking: 2
Maine’s largest city may not be the biggest place on the list — it has just over half a million people — but Portland offers a high concentration of shopping venues, restaurants and attractions for residents and tourists to enjoy. Ranking No. 2 for shopping opportunities, No. 5 for restaurants and No. 8 for attractions, Portland residents have plenty of fun options for their free time.
8. Nashville
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 22
Metro Population: 1,730,515
Median Home Price: $192,200
Median Annual Salary: $43,950
Parks Ranking: 6
Restaurants Ranking: 58
Shopping Ranking: 24
Music City ranks eighth in our list of the Most Fun Places to Live in the U.S. Nashville also takes the No. 6 spot for its parks, which include Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and Shelby Bottoms Nature Center. Residents can choose from a variety of activities from boating to golf, and they have plenty of spaces to enjoy the outdoors. In addition, Nashville ranks high for both nightlife and concert venues — 12th and 27th, respectively.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Nashville.
7. Cleveland
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 87
Metro Population: 2,770,507
Median Home Price: $134,578
Median Annual Salary: $46,290
Parks Ranking: 23
Restaurants Ranking: 12
Shopping Ranking: 25
With 478 concert venues in the metro area, Cleveland — home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — takes a top 10 spot on the Most Fun Places to Live list. With more than 2.5 million residents in its metro area, Cleveland is large enough to support plenty of cultural attractions but small enough to make shopping and restaurants accessible for residents. In addition, Cleveland ranks No. 10 for sports viewing — not to mention the NBA championship the Cavaliers recently added to Cleveland’s trophy case.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Cleveland.
6. Los Angeles
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 83
Metro Population: 18,241,809
Median Home Price: $478,992
Median Annual Salary: $53,000
Parks Ranking: 47
Restaurants Ranking: 8
Shopping Ranking: 60
The country’s second-largest metro area comes in at No. 6 on our Most Fun Places to Live list, welcoming more than 25 million people from flights alone each year. Los Angeles has more than 30,500 restaurants that help earn it the No. 8 spot in that category, and the city receives the top ranking for sports. With the Rams football team coming back to Los Angeles this year, sports fans have plenty of to enjoy year-round with baseball (Dodgers and Angels), basketball (Lakers and Clippers), hockey (Kings) and soccer (Galaxy) all having professional teams with large followings in the area.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Los Angeles.
5. Seattle
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 7
Metro Population: 3,557,037
Median Home Price: $362,468
Median Annual Salary: $57,370
Parks Ranking: 29
Restaurants Ranking: 34
Shopping Ranking: 23
Seattle is the No. 5 Most Fun Place to Live as well as the No. 7 Best Place to Live on our lists. The Seattle metro area scores consistently well for its abundant parks, restaurants and shopping opportunities. And the city ranks No. 15 for its major league sports, with professional teams for football (Seahawks), soccer (Sounders FC) and baseball (Mariners).
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Seattle.
4. Charleston, South Carolina
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 19
Metro Population: 697,281
Median Home Price: $209,450
Median Annual Salary: $42,770
Parks Ranking: 33
Restaurants Ranking: 25
Shopping Ranking: 3
This coastal South Carolina city receives its highest score for shopping. With a metro population of less than 700,000, Charleston boasts 129 shopping venues in the area, with warm, sunny weather to encourage an outdoor stroll as residents walk from shop to shop. Charleston also ranks No. 5 for the many concert venues in the area, lending to its overall No. 4 ranking in Most Fun Places to Live.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Charleston.
3. Portland, Oregon
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 20
Metro Population: 2,288,796
Median Home Price: $297,200
Median Annual Salary: $50,710
Parks Ranking: 13
Restaurants Ranking: 21
Shopping Ranking: 15
This Northwest metro area comes in near the top of the list with consistently high scores across the board, ranking in the top 25 for each individual category: popularity (23), restaurants (21), attractions (16), parks (13), nightlife (19), concerts (11) and shopping (15). Sports is the only area where this isn’t the case, as Portland has just two major league professional sports teams, the Portland Trail Blazers basketball and Portland Timbers soccer teams. The well-rounded activities for residents combine with a healthy job market, steadily growing population and increasingly competitive housing market in and around the Rose City.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in Portland.
2. San Francisco
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 9
Metro Population: 4,466,251
Median Home Price: $646,250
Median Annual Salary: $64,990
Parks Ranking: 17
Restaurants Ranking: 5
Shopping Ranking: 32
San Francisco welcomes nearly 20 million people by plane each year, and residents are able to take advantage of the perks of the area’s major tourism industry year-round. More than 9,600 restaurants, attractions like Alcatraz, three professional sports teams (and several more in the Bay Area), and spaces for outdoor adventures like Golden Gate National Recreation Area all help secure San Francisco’s spot as the No. 2 Most Fun Place to Live in the U.S.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in San Francisco.
1. San Diego
Best Places to Live 2016 Ranking: 16
Metro Population: 3,183,143
Median Home Price: $477,500
Median Annual Salary: $53,020
Parks Ranking: 8
Restaurants Ranking: 1
Shopping Ranking: 28
San Diego is the Most Fun Place to Live in the U.S., taking the top spot for its restaurants and ranking No. 8 for its numerous parks that allow residents to soak up the sunny weather. The Southern California city is a frequently visited destination by people throughout the country, but its residents get to enjoy the San Diego Zoo, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park any time they want.
Visit U.S. News Travel for things to do in San Diego.
More from U.S. News
The 20 Best Places to Live in the U.S.
The 20 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for Quality of Life
The 20 Best Places to Find a Job in the U.S.
The 30 Most Fun Places to Live in the U.S. originally appeared on usnews.com
