The notion of 'quality of life' can be hard to nail down. It's one of those things that you know when you experience it, but is tricky to define.

Undaunted by the task, the folks at LawnStarter are doing their best to identify 2024’s Leading Cities for Quality of Life, by ranking 500 places in 16 different categories:

  • Environment
  • Air and Water Quality
  • Housing and Infrastructure
  • Healthcare Access
  • Physical Health
  • Mental Health
  • Economic Stability
  • Employment Protections
  • Housing Affordability
  • Safety
  • Education
  • Leisure Time
  • Recreational Facilities
  • Social and Personal Freedoms
  • Family and Food Security
  • Health and Wellness Access

After crunching the numbers, two Minnesota Cities emerged among the best of the best in America.

Woodbury, a city of 78,000 just east of the Twin Cities, has the third best quality of life thanks to the best showing nationally in Family and Food Security as well as Top Ten rankings in Housing and Infrastructure (#2) and Economic Stability (#10).

The other North Star State city in the Top Ten is Plymouth. This city of 81,000 just west of the Twin Cities, leads the nation in Health and Wellness and had Top Ten rankings in Economic Stability (#5) and Leisure Time (#9)

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2024's BEST QUALITY OF LIFE CITIES

  1. Redmond, Washington
  2. Newton, Massachusetts
  3. Woodbury, Minnesota
  4. Bellevue, Washington
  5. Pleasanton, California
  6. Carmel, Indiana
  7. Plymouth, Minnesota
  8. San Ramon, California
  9. Irvine, California
  10. Castle Rock, Colorado

Four other Minnesota cities landed in the Top 100:

19. Rochester (#3 in Healthcare Access)
50. Bloomington
65. Minneapolis
82. Brooklyn Park

Iowa and South Dakota were both shut out of the Top 100.

The best ranking for the Hawkeye State was Iowa City (#109). Its best showing was in   Family and Food Security (#12).

The top-ranked city in the Mount Rushmore State was Sioux Falls (#111). Its best showing was in Healthcare Access (#24).

When it came to the places that have the worst quality of life in America, two states dominated, with Michigan and Texas combining for nine of the bottom ten out of the 500 ranked cities.

2024's WORST QUALITY OF LIFE CITIES

  1. Flint, Michigan
  2. Detroit, Michigan
  3. Pharr, Texas
  4. Pasadena, Texas
  5. Brownsville, Texas
  6. Baytown, Texas
  7. Jackson, Mississippi
  8. Beaumont, Texas
  9. Corpus Christi, Texas
  10. Laredo, Texas

LOOK: Best counties to raise a family in South Dakota

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in South Dakota.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: Best counties to raise a family in Iowa

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in Iowa.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

Counties with the Lowest Cost of Living in Minnesota

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the lowest cost of living in Minnesota using 2022 rankings from Niche.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

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