U.S. News & World Report ranks Pensacola No. 31 in 'Best Places to Live in the U.S.' list

Brandon Girod and Dave Osborn, Pensacola News Journal
·4 min read

Florida is back on top after several cities made U.S. News & World Report’s latest list of Best Places to Live in the U.S., including the No. 1 ranked city — Naples.

Sarasota was the highest-rated Florida city last year at No. 5, but this year it fell down to No. 11. There were 11 other cities that made it to the list, including Pensacola, which was the third-highest ranked Florida city on the list at No. 31.

Here’s a look at how Florida cities ranked on the list.

Pensacola named No. 31st best city to live in the U.S.

Pensacola was ranked as the No. 31 best city to live in by U.S. News & World Report, which was the third-highest Florida city to make the list.

“White sand beaches, breathtaking sunsets and emerald green waters are often cited as reasons newcomers fall in love with the Pensacola area,” said U.S. News & World Report in its write-up.

Last year: Pensacola jumps 16 spots on U.S. News' Best Places to Live 2023-2024 list. Where it ranked:

“Pensacola is characterized by a rich tapestry of multiculturalism. Native American, African, European, Asian and Latin influences form the foundation of the city’s heart and soul. Locals are quick to indulge visitors and transplants with their characteristic Southern charm and hospitality.”

This isn’t Pensacola’s first time appearing on the list. Last year it was ranked slightly higher at No. 28. The year before that it was ranked No. 44.

13 Florida cities ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S. list

Thirteen Florida cities ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S. list, with Naples taking the No. 1 spot. Here’s where the rest landed.

  • Naples — No. 1

  • Sarasota — No. 11

  • Pensacola — No. 31

  • Fort Myers — No. 37

  • Melbourne — No. 49

  • Jacksonville — No. 56

  • Orlando — No. 68

  • Tallahassee — No. 75

  • Ocala — No. 78

  • Lakeland — No. 80

  • Port St. Lucie — No. 83

  • Daytona Beach — No. 96

  • Miami — No. 123

Why U.S News says it ranks places to live

"U.S. News & World Report specializes in helping people make major life decisions, and where you choose to live is one of life’s biggest decisions," the media company said in its news release.

"Where you live can determine the employment opportunities you’ll have, the income you’ll be able to earn and save, and the quality of health care and education you and your family can access."

Factors U.S. News used in ranking cities

U.S. News & World Report says its "Best Places to Live' rankings "are designed to help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to settle down."

"To craft the methodology, U.S. News asked thousands of people to tell us what factors are important to them when choosing a place to live," the company said in a news released.

U.S. News said it categorized data into four indexes: Quality of Life Index (32%), Value Index (27%), Job Market Index (22%) and Desirability Index (19 %). Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Sharecare, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. News' internal resources.

The magazine unveiled the rankings Tuesday.

4 of 5 'Fastest Growing Places' in Florida

Anyone who experiences traffic jams in Florida knows that more and more people are moving to the state.

U.S. News' list on the "Fastest Growing Places" in the country bolsters this fact. Four of the top five fastest-growing regions are Fort Myers at No. 1; Port St. Lucie (No. 3), Daytona Beach (4) and Tallahassee (5).

2 Florida cities deemed safest in U.S.

Two Florida cities also made U.S. News' of the "Safest Places" in the country.

Pensacola was ranked No. 4 and Port St. Lucie was No. 5 in the top five in that category. Augusta, Georgia, was ranked the top safest place, followed by Montgomery, Alabama, at No. 2 and South Bend, Indiana, third.

Not surprisingly, no Florida cities made U.S. News top five list of "Most Affordable Places."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola ranks No. 31 on U.S. News & World Report's 'Best city' list