Finding the Unicorn: The Quest for America's Most Balanced City
What's would make the perfect city? It would be:
Culturally rich, with top education institutions, medical centers, Fortune 500 companies, and cultural institutions like symphonies and museums. It would attract top graduates, and would be growing, emanating with new energy. It would have a vibrant downtown and lots of jobs, and would be recognizable the world over as a model of urban vibrancy.
It would also, however, be completely livable, broadly affordable, with a low cost of living and a low-stress quality of life. It would be easy to get around, with short average commutes, lots of choice in housing options, great parks, and a general ease of living in a moderate climate.
While both are admirable goals, few cities in America successfully achieve both. Plenty achieve the first without the second - New York City, for instance - while others achieve the second without the first - Tulsa, for instance. To those who enjoy both culturally exuberant living with lots of entertainment options and white collar employment options as well as easy, affordable living, American cities have work to do balancing their offerings.
To explore this, Capital Frontiers ranked the 53 largest cities in America across several metrics:
Cultural metrics: Population growth, Global World Cities rating, Top 100 universities and top 10 medical institutions, Fortune 500 companies, Per capita GDP, Downtown jobs, Downtown built intensity, and overall population density
Livability metrics: Housing affordability, average commute times, and average climate
The top 5 cities that excel as cultural hubs but not as livable places:
New York City
Cultural ranking: 1
Livability ranking: 55
Balance ranking: 55
Los Angeles
Cultural ranking: 3
Livability ranking: 45
Balance ranking: 54
San Francisco
Average cultural ranking: 5
Livability ranking: 46
Balance ranking: 53
Washington, DC
Average cultural ranking: 13
Livability ranking: 50
Balance ranking: 52
Chicago
Average cultural ranking: 4
Livability ranking: 52
Balance ranking: 51
The top 5 cities that excel as livable places but not as cultural hubs:
Grand Rapids
Average cultural ranking: 50
Livability ranking: 13
Balance ranking: 50
Rochester
Average cultural ranking: 49
Livability ranking: 13
Balance ranking: 44
Omaha
Average cultural ranking: 39
Livability ranking: 3
Balance ranking: 41
Bakersfield
Average cultural ranking: 54
Livability ranking: 17
Balance ranking: 40
Tulsa
Average cultural ranking: 41
Livability ranking: 3
Balance ranking: 39
The top 5 cities that succeed neither as cultural hubs nor livable places:
Worcester, Mass.
Average cultural ranking: 52
Livability ranking: 39
Balance ranking: 49
Honolulu
Average cultural ranking: 32
Livability ranking: 49
Balance ranking: 47
Fresno
Average cultural ranking: 55
Livability ranking: 31
Balance ranking: 35
Salt Lake City
Average cultural ranking: 45
Livability ranking: 37
Balance ranking: 20
Tucson
Average cultural ranking: 53
Livability ranking: 30
Balance ranking: 21
The top 5 most balanced cities in America:
Cleveland
Average cultural ranking: 16
Livability ranking: 1
Balance ranking: 1
Indianapolis
Average cultural ranking: 18
Livability ranking: 5
Balance ranking: 2
St. Louis
Average cultural ranking: 24
Livability ranking: 5
Balance ranking: 3
Dallas
Average cultural ranking: 8
Livability ranking: 17
Balance ranking: 4
Cincinnati
Average cultural ranking: 27
Livability ranking: 5
Balance ranking: 5
Houston
Average cultural ranking: 2
Livability ranking: 25
Balance ranking: 6
Atlanta
Average cultural ranking: 6
Livability ranking: 24
Balance ranking: 7
Charlotte
Average cultural ranking: 15
Livability ranking: 17
Balance ranking: 7
Columbus
Average cultural ranking: 22
Livability ranking: 13
Balance ranking: 9
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