Best cities to live in United States (2026)
11 cities ranked by Livability Score — affordability, safety, internet, democracy & climate.
Country at a Glance
Freedom House score
Press freedom rank
Grid reliability
Path to PR
Corporate tax
Seattle
60/100Tucson
57/100Los Angeles
56/100New York
56/100San Francisco
56/100Honolulu
54/100Kansas City
54/100Chicago
53/100Las Vegas
53/100Phoenix
52/100Miami
48/100Compare cities in United States
❓ Living in United States — Common Questions
What is the best city to live in United States?▾
Based on our Livability Score, Seattle ranks #1 in United States with a score of 60/100, and city-centre rent from around $2442/month.
What is the cheapest city in United States?▾
Tucson has the most affordable city-centre rent in our United States data, at around $1322/month for a 1-bedroom apartment.
What is the safest city in United States?▾
By UNODC homicide rate data, Honolulu is the safest city in United States in our database, with a rate of 1.5 per 100,000 people.
Should I move to Seattle or Tucson?▾
Seattle scores 60/100 on our Livability Score vs 57/100 for Tucson. Rent is $2442/mo in Seattle vs $1322/mo in Tucson. See the full comparison at the bottom of this page.
How do I get long-term residency or a visa to live in United States?▾
United States offers the US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process). Duration: Permanent residence. Key requirement: Employer sponsorship (EB-1 to EB-3) or investor visa (EB-5, $1.05M / $800K in targeted areas). Current for most nationalities, 12–20+ yr backlog for India/China.. The process is complex. Check individual city pages for full details.
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