Local News

These 4 Massachusetts cities are among the best places to live in the U.S.

The U.S. News & World Report released its annual list this week and scored cities across the country based on criteria including quality of education, healthcare, environment, and state infrastructure.

Newton City Hall on Aug. 12, 2019. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

May 23, 2025

1 minute to read

Four Massachusetts cities made it in the top 250 best places to live in the U.S. list in 2025.

The U.S. News & World Report released its annual list this week and scored places across the country based on criteria that potential residents have identified as important. Notably, the list accounts for cities and not towns.

Through interviews with people across the country, U.S. News compiled data to score each city based on quality of education, healthcare, environment, and state infrastructure. The scores also took into account housing affordability and cost of living as well as crime, weather, and commuting time.

Massachusetts cities among the top 250 best places to live

#51: Newton
#224: Waltham
#226: Somerville
#231: Brookline

The best places to live in New England

The U.S. News & World Report also identified the best places to live in each state, regardless of whether the cities landed in the top 250. One other New England state had a city in the top 250.