Naperville improved its rankings on the list of Money’s 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S., moving up to No. 16 in 2022-23 from 45th last year.
In the release of its annual ranking of the Best Places to Live, the digital platform said the list spotlights 50 cities and towns with strong labor markets, affordable homes, and racial, economic and cultural diversity.
“This year’s Best Places to Live ranking highlights the amazing cities and towns the country has to offer — with a hard examine of what matters most,” Executive Editor Mike Ayers said in a news release. “Money hopes readers will find the places with the most opportunity for whatever’s next in their lives.”
In its description of Naperville, Money said the city has been named “the best place to be a kid by the U.S. Census Bureau, the best place to raise a family by the education site Niche and one of AARP’s top 10 towns for seniors.”
Money also noted that Naperville is home to a “host of corporate headquarters” and the Northern Illinois Planning Commission projects 83,000 new jobs in the city by 2023.
Naperville also was cited as a place for “families hoping to give their children a safe, nurturing and economically robust environment to grow up” and for offering some of the state’s best public schools.
For 2022’s Best Places to Live list, Money looked at towns and cities with a population of at least 20,000, and made its selection based on cost of living, economic opportunity and diversity, among other factors.
Atlanta topped the rankings, followed by Tempe, Arizona and Kirkland, Washington, in second and third places, respectively.
According to Money, these cities landed high on the list because of access to a growing number of employment opportunities and higher paying jobs in each area.
Earlier this week, Naperville’s two school districts earned accolades for securing top 40 notches on Niche’s 2023 list of Best School Districts in America.
Naperville District 203 rose to No. 25 in the United States, up from 40 last year, and Indian Prairie District 204 came in at No. 36, up 20 spots from 56th place the previous year.
In August, Livability.com described Naperville as “a growing oasis where big-city attractions — think a diverse cuisine scene, performing arts venues, various shops, family-friendly spaces and a thriving nightlife — meld with small-town magic,” when the city placed fourth on the company’s 2022 Top 100 Best Places to Live in America.
subaker@tribpub.com