The best U.S. city for quality of life is Ann Arbor, Mich.
Nothing new here as A2 has been on these type of lists for years now. But, one thing they didn't mention that really makes A2 the best place is the FRICKIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP the football team just won going 15-0 making A2's air smell that much better, the food taste that much better, and the water quench one's thirst that much more than before.
The only draw back is that Jim Harbaugh no longer walks the street.
Quality of life score: 7.9
Ann Arbor is the best U.S. city for quality of life. More than 90% of the city’s residents live less than a 10-minute from a public park, according to the U.S. News and World report.
A 2023 SmartAsset study report says Ann Arbor saw its Gen Z population — those ages 18 to 24 — grow the fastest in 2022. The city had 26.4% new Gen Zers and a total population of 35.9%.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/25/us-news-report-us-cities-best-quality-of-life.html
February 27th, 2024 at 8:35 AM ^
I see this point made all the time here, but it 100% hinges on building enough actually affordable housing to make this density and walkability actually work. If not, all of the road dieting and parking restrictions are essentially meaningless.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:37 AM ^
More housing supply is the only way to accomplish that, you seem to agree.
February 26th, 2024 at 9:21 PM ^
Much of the changes you say are true, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying all the great restaurants, cultural events. sports, theater, shopping etc. (often parking for free and yeah you may have to walk a few blocks).
Like any city avoid rush hour and don't drive a big truck and expect to fit in tight spaces.
After living in Chicago, I don't even know what real traffic is like now. And going to downtown Detroit to catch the pro sports is easy. Also DTW is one of the best airports in the US.
February 27th, 2024 at 3:27 AM ^
Grit - you gotta realize many of the things you list as downsides are exactly the type of things that make the people creating this list extoll Ann Arbor, right?!
February 26th, 2024 at 8:08 PM ^
Try to buy a house here. Multiple bids over asking
February 27th, 2024 at 3:29 AM ^
I say anyplace that doesn't have that doesn't belong on that list!
I mean - people are voting with their wallet where they value living.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:32 AM ^
Also try renting an apartment anywhere near downtown. Aside from the luxury high-rises (which, halol on that crap), everything is awful units for rent on timelines and bad faith practices dictated by predatory student landlords (which city council somehow seems incapable to fully rein in) at prices that would make a Chicago renter do a double take.
We've both lived in major cities where cost of living is presumed to be high. What we're paying to live in A2, between cars and rent and insurances of all kinds, is almost double what we were paying elsewhere. It's not tenable long-term for anyone who isn't starting on third base.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:15 AM ^
College towns used to be idyllic places where the cost of living was reasonable compared with larger cities. But no more. The market seems to have determined that if college kids can afford $30K-$75K in yearly expenses they can certainly afford rents that are double or even triple what they were 10-15 years ago.
I live in Iowa City which is half the size of Ann Arbor but proportionately in a similar situation wrt cost of living/housing. There’s no escaping the fact that shit’s expensive most anywhere you might want to live.
February 27th, 2024 at 11:03 AM ^
And there's a trickle-down effect when the luxury housing goes up, because then even the slumlords think that's what they can charge. I keep hearing these A2 high-rises are going to solve the housing crisis and make everything else more affordable, but when you see that they're almost solely marketing to rich out-of-state students whose parents will write a check without thinking about it (really, their websites have "Parents" tabs) and everything else keeps going up in price, what good is it really doing to address the problem?
February 27th, 2024 at 11:11 AM ^
How dare those parents make a real estate investment outside of their home state! And for the benefit of their children no less!! I mean they put all of that money into the local economy!!! The nerve!!!!!!
February 28th, 2024 at 12:44 AM ^
They're renting, not buying.
February 26th, 2024 at 8:38 PM ^
[Redacted]
February 26th, 2024 at 9:04 PM ^
AA is truly a wonderful place to live, no doubt.
February 26th, 2024 at 9:46 PM ^
"Ann Arbor is also considered part of the Greater Detroit area at just under an hour’s drive away."
Here's another debate that goes around town from time to time. It is considered part of the Detroit Census Statistical Area, but the theories on the boundaries of "Metro Detroit" vary wildly in Ann Arbor, sometimes from person (who may exclude Ann Arbor) to person (who is mildly uncomfortable including Ann Arbor, but sees how you might) to person (who doesn't honestly care).
February 27th, 2024 at 7:14 PM ^
My freshman year roommates and I debated this all year. My roommate from Chicago and I (from East Lansing) were convinced Ann Arbor was it’s own city. My roommate from Detroit was adamant that Ann Arbor was merely a suburb of Detroit.
My point was, there’s farms and forests between Detroit and Ann Arbor. Hence, it’s not a suburb.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:26 AM ^
It really is great, but it could be so much better with stronger commitments to a cohesive development plan centering both on affordable housing and commensurate infrastructure so that it's not impossible to get anywhere. A2 now has a middle-to-large city workforce with the roads of a sleepy college town and apartments priced beyond Chicago.
Just imagine if the endless line of cars in and out of town three times a day at UM Hospital shift changes were people walking or biking to nearby housing they can afford.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:42 AM ^
It's a beautiful vision, but unlikely to ever be realized. Something like 2 or 3x the population of Ann Arbor commutes into the city for work each weekday. If 75% of those commuters would prefer to live within alternative commuting distance to their jobs, the city would need 2x the housing it currently has. Doesn't seem realistic to me, although any movement towards that goal would be beneficial.
I like the commuter bus plan, that allows for speedy buses from the Brighton and Saline areas into the city on regular basis to alleviate all the insane traffic at peak driving hours. That's the next best option and can have an impact immediately.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:18 AM ^
If you want to have less affordable housing, pass laws mandating more affordable housing.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:16 AM ^
Wait, they say it is a great place to live but has a growing number of Gen Z. Does not compute.
February 27th, 2024 at 2:51 PM ^
TIL Gen Z only spans 6 years.
But the good news for you is, you can check into an assisted living and avoid the Gen Z’ers
February 27th, 2024 at 2:15 PM ^
Just goes to show, with a robust tax base to pay for solid and concerted PR efforts, you can get named on these lists time and time again!
February 28th, 2024 at 6:33 AM ^
Maybe when they fix the traffic lights I'll believe it.