This NC city is among the best places to live in the US, new report says

A new report found that Charlotte is among the most desirable places to live in the nation.

Charlotte came in at No. 5 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024-2025.

“The city has a strong economic identity – it’s the second-largest banking hub in the U.S. behind New York City – that’s helped drive consistent population growth for decades,” U.S. News said in its report. “Charlotte takes pride in its cityscape, defined by a handful of skyscrapers. But the city’s essence is perhaps better captured in its diverse neighborhoods and suburban areas, each of which has its own style and flair.”

Even Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles was proud to share the city’s ranking in an X post, saying the “recognition reflects our city’s strong economy, vibrant culture, Southern charm, and commitment to quality of life for all residents.”

Niche, a rankings and review website, previously ranked Charlotte the third-best city to live in North Carolina, behind Raleigh and Durham, respectively, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Best places to live in NC

Charlotte is the best place to live in North Carolina, according to U.S. News, but Raleigh was ranked just behind it at No. 6. Here’s where other cities in the state fell on the list:

• Asheville: No. 17

• Greensboro: No. 23

• Hickory: No. 26

• Winston-Salem: No. 60

• Fayetteville: No. 113

Charlotte, Raleigh continue to rack up accolades

North Carolina’s largest metropolitan areas are no strangers to being recognized nationally.

In March, the personal finance site WalletHub rated Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte among the happiest cities in the nation, coming in at No. 22, 29 and 52, respectively, The Observer reported.

U.S News ranked Raleigh and Charlotte at No. 6 and No. 9, respectively, on its list of best cities to retire in the U.S. last November.

Raleigh was also included in a ranking of the most popular destinations for movers in 2025 by Move Buddha, a Georgia-based moving and storage company. The city came in at No. 53 on its list.

However, the report also included a caveat – Raleigh saw a major uptick in crime from 2020-2024, while Asheville, which came in at No. 6 on the list, saw violent crime drop by 33% during the same time period.

Best places to live in the US

Here are the best places to live in the U.S., according to U.S. News:

1. Naples, Florida

2. Boise, Idaho

3. Colorado Springs, Colorado

4. Greenville, South Carolina

5. Charlotte

6. Raleigh

7. Huntsville, Alabama

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia

9. Austin, Texas

10. Boulder, Colorado

How did U.S. News come up with its findings?

U.S. News ranked cities using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and the company’s own internal resources.

The data was then categorized into four indexes based on the preferences of Americans in a survey conducted in February 2024:

• Quality of Life Index (32%): Based on factors like crime rate, and quality of education and health care.

• Value Index (27%): Based on factors like median annual household income and annual housing costs.

• Desirability Index (19%): Based on factors like net migration, which measures whether people are moving to or away from a city, and the total number of restaurants and drinking establishments per 100,000 people.

• Job Market Index (22%): Based on factors like unemployment rate and median household income.

This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 11:32 AM with the headline "This NC city is among the best places to live in the US, new report says."

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.