The best suburb in every state
City of Franklin, TN - Municipal Government/Facebook
There's a widespread stereotype that living in the suburbs is boring. But that's not always the case. The best suburbs offer access to parks and cultural activities, good job prospects, and top restaurants — in addition to low crime rates and noteworthy public schools.
Niche, a company that researches and compiles information on schools and places to live, recently released its list of the best suburbs in the US. Using Niche's sorting tool, we found the highest-ranking area in each state.
The rankings assessed the overall livability of each suburb, taking into account the cost of living, public school quality, the percentage of residents who hold at least a bachelor's degree, and the overall strength of the area's real estate market. Niche also factored in things like diversity, average commute time, crime rates, and access to amenities. You can read a full breakdown of the methodology here.
From a beachside town in Hawaii to the home of the Minnesota state fair, read on to see the best suburb in every US state.
Note: Due to insufficient data, there aren't entries for Montana, North Dakota, or Wyoming.
ALABAMA: Homewood
Prayitno/FlickrNearest city: Birmingham
Population: 25,420
Cost of living: C+
Public schools: A+
Health and fitness: B+
Crime and safety: B-
Diversity: A-
ALASKA: Palmer
Cecil Sanders/FlickrNearest city: Anchorage
Population: 6,250
Cost of living: C+
Public schools: B
Health and fitness: B+
Crime and safety: B
Diversity: A-
ARIZONA: Flowing Wells
Google MapsNearest city: Tucson
Population: 16,062
Cost of living: B-
Public schools: A-
Health and fitness: A+
Crime and safety: N/A
Diversity: A+
See the rest of the story at Business Insider