Best Places Rankings
For over 25 years, Bert Sperling has been analyzing data about people and places, and rating them for major publications. Our goal is to provide you with a new level of accurate and up-to-date information, in a useful and entertaining format to help you find your Best Place to live.
Navy Federal Releases Best Cities After Service
Oklahoma City tops list of best places to live for both servicemembers transitioning from active duty and veterans.
VoteWord - 16 years of Presidential voting, in one word
Here at BestPlaces, we were looking at the voting patterns since the 2000 election and realized that we could express the results of each election as one letter. R if the Republican candidate won, D for the Democrat and I for the Independent. The five elections (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) would be expressed as five-letter word (R R D R R).
What's So Scary About Earthquakes?
Americans fear earthquakes the most, but other natural disasters are a hundred times deadlier. Why are our worries so illogical?
America's Top Hygge Cities
"Hygge" is the Danish concept of creating cozy environments that foster well-being and contentment. Many Americans have eagerly adopted hygge over the past few years and Sperling's BestPlaces has now determined the Top Hygge Cities in the U.S.
Net Neutrality - New Map Shows #StopTheFCC Support by State
Sperling's BestPlaces collected 145,000 #StopTheFCC tweets from November 24 to December 14 and analyzed them.
Each of the geolocated tweets was mapped to determine the number of tweets per state. Using this data, the research firm generated a choropleth map showing the number of tweets per capita (100,000 people).
New Animated Map Shows #MeToo Going Viral Within Hours
The #MeToo message spread like a wildfire across the United States and the globe, as shown in a dramatic new animation.
Me Too (hashtag) ... "Me Too" (or "#MeToo", with local alternatives in other languages) spread virally as a two-word hashtag used on social media in October 2017 to denounce sexual assault and harassment, in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against film producer and executive Harvey Weinstein.
Atlanta will be Amazon's new home
It's been two months since Amazon announced they will be searching for a site for their new co-headquarters, resulting in hundreds of applications and endless speculation. Now we have the answer.
The Most Comfortable Summer Cities
When it comes to summer and its accompanying hot weather, there are so many beautiful things - beach days, barbecues, revealing swimsuits, Slip n' Slides, squirt gun fights, an excuse to drink watery beer all day at baseball games - the list goes on.
Quirky City Names - Adult Theme
Sperling's BestPlaces is rolling out a new series of light-hearted lists in which we bring you U.S. cities and towns with quirky, weird, bizarre, or unusual names. Start giggling now...
The Face of the Future: RoC® Skincare Predicts The Most Wrinkle-Prone Cities In America
Sperling's BestPlaces was commissioned by RoC® Skincare to help with the 2016 RoC® Wrinkle Ranking: a city by city look at the metropolitan areas' risk for skin damage and premature aging by the year 2040.
Failure To Lunch: The Cities Where Workers Can't Get Away From Their Desk
Sperling's BestPlaces was commissioned by restaurant chain TGI Fridays to determine the lunching habits of office workers in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.
Sunshine, Smog and Stress: THE MOST WRINKLE-PRONE STATES IN AMERICA
Second Annual Wrinkle Ranking Reveals the Underlying Factors That Contribute to Aging Skin
Sexual Health Report Card 2015
Oregon State University Claims No. 1 Spot for Second Year in a Row in 2015 Trojan™ Sexual Health Report Card
America’s Best Cities for a Healthy (and More Affordable) Retirement
Retirement used to mean heading South to bake in the sun, spending the rest of one’s life playing tennis, golf and shuffleboard. Not anymore!
Halloween Deadliest Day 2014
Research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces has released a new study that reveals some stark insights into just how dangerous trick-or-treating can be. Every Halloween there are stories about hazards such as tainted candy and “stranger danger,” but the real threat kids face when Trick-or-Treating is being struck by a motor vehicle.
Top 97 Opportunity Cities
Our notion of Opportunity Cities really comes down to freedom, the freedom to pursue a dream that is more difficult, if not impossible, to realize in other places. With these low barriers to entry, the young and/or bold can more readily start their own venture.
Sperling’s Skincare “Wrinkle Ranking”
Sperling’s BestPlaces, partnering with RoC® Skincare, a pioneer in anti-aging innovation, unveils new data that demonstrates the correlation between geographic location and the premature wrinkles. The RoC® Skincare Wrinkle Ranking Study outlines the 50 most wrinkle-prone regions in the United States and identifies the underlying factors that may cause skin to age.
Safest Places from Natural Disasters
Hurricane Sandy is a reminder that despite our best efforts to protect ourselves, nature can still bring terrible devastation.
Halloween is ‘Deadliest Day’ Of The Year For Child Pedestrian Fatalities
Kids have a greater chance of being fatally injured by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day.
Best Baseball Cities
The most special month of the year for every baseball fan. The World Series determines the best baseball team, but did you ever wonder which place can lay claim to the best baseball city?
Stressful Cities 2012
Sperling’s ranks the 50 largest metro areas to find the ones with the most and least stress.
Most Popular Cities for the Holidays
Here are the 100 U.S. cities which show the largest increase in air traveler over the two winter holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year (aka the Winter Holidays).
Best Places for Military Retirees
Here is an interesting study about the best places in the U.S. for military retirees to start a second career.
Most Secure Places to Live 2011
EIGHTH ANNUAL FARMERS INSURANCE STUDY RANKS THE MOST SECURE PLACES TO LIVE IN THE U.S. Pittsburgh rated country’s most secure large metropolitan area
4 Ways to Tap Your House for Cash
Recently, Bert Sperling did some work for AARP. Read the article by clicking the link above and the feature that Bert did on "When it pays to move".
Americas Manliest Cities 2011
Rankings for the 3rd Annual Combos "America's Manliest Cities"
The Best Cities for Seniors 2011
Bankers Life and Casualty Company Center for a Secure Retirement recently commissioned a survey of the Best U.S. Cities for Seniors.
The Twenty Most Congested Cities Unveiled
Breathe Right Nasal Strips partnered with Sperling's BestPlaces to identify the 20 Most Congested Cities in the U.S.
Money magazine presents their annual list of 100 best places.
A review by Bert Sperling on the the Money magazine annual list of 100 best places.
America's Most Playful Cities
Dove Chocolate teams up with Sperling’s BestPlaces to find the cities where people are being the most playful, and where there are the most opportunities to have a little fun.
Top US Hypertension Hot Spots Revealed
A national analysis conducted by Sperling’s BestPlaces, sponsored by Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., identifies the nation’s Hypertension Hot Spots, or cities that face the most challenges due to hypertension risk factors and complications.
Cities on the Edge of Greatness
First Annual “Cities on the Edge” Study Finds San Francisco, Boston and Denver on the Edge of Greatness
Where to Live to Avoid a Natural Disaster
New York Times Article done in conjunction with Sperling's BestPlaces. Weather disasters and quakes: who’s most at risk?
The Best Cities to Relocate to in America
Relocation is sometimes a sound solution for increasing unemployment rates and fewer secure jobs. Many people are considering relocation as an option to better their careers and quality of life.
America’s Best Cities for Foodies
The term “foodie” emerged on the Internet to refer to people with gourmet sensibilities.
Seventh Annual Farmers Insurance Study Ranks the Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S.
Madison, Wisconsin Tops All Large Metropolitan Areas
Best Places for Thanksgiving Celebrations
Akron is Named #1 Place for Thanksgiving Celebrations
Safest Cities for Families with Young Children
Sperling’s BestPlaces Looks at Best Safety Practices for Cities and Outlines Tips to Help Parents Reduce Preventable Accidents
Most Irritation Prone Cities
Potential for Irritation High Down South: New Sperling Study Finds Atlanta, Houston and Washington DC Most at Risk for Irritation
Second Annual “America’s Manliest Cities” Rankings
Charlotte takes over as “America’s Manliest City” while Portland falls to last.
50 Riskiest Cities in the United States for Cybercrime
Seattle tops the Norton top 10 riskiest cities for cybercrime report.
50 Riskiest Cities in Canada for Cybercrime
Burlington, Ont. Residents at Greatest Risk.
2009 Best Airports to Make a 'Connection'
We identify the airports that give you the best chance for meeting that special someone this holiday travel season.
2009 Sexual Awareness on College Campuses
College students left ill-informed about safer sex are more at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies.
America's Manliest Cities - A study that is a fun way to let the men of America know exactly where they stand against their brethren coast-to-coast.
Most Secure U.S. Places
Safety and security are two characteritics people seek in a place to raise a family. Our study ranks the top large, mid-size, and small cities to find the most secure locations.
America's Drought-Riskiest Cities
Scientists are warning that raging brush fires could become routine. Boat ramps are becoming surrounded by dry land and streams are disappearing. How dry is your city?
Romantic Cities for Baby Boomers
With our busy lives, many are finding it difficult to set aside time for romance. This study looks at the places that are making it easier.
Most Energetic Cities
Always dashing off? We found the places where people are living a lifestyle that is key to their longevity and overall good health.
Best Green Places
Explore a green lifestyle, no matter where you are. We examined 24 metrics in 5 major categories to determine the Best Green Places.
Going Solo in the USA
Are more women now living without a spouse? We decided to take a closer look and discovered that some places are "more single" than others.
iJacking - Identity Theft in America
The most likely places to fall victim to identity theft might surprise you. We analyzed over 80 metrics which have been associated with identify theft.
Most Competitive Colleges
Potential freshmen often struggle to find the perfect school for their learning experience. They often don't consider that getting accepted can be the hardest part.
Sleep in the City
A good night's sleep is one of the most important health factors. Our study found that some places make sleep easier than others.
Sexual Awareness on College Campuses
College students left ill-informed about safer sex are more at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies.
Best Cities for Seniors
We examined the state of senior care in the 50 largest metro areas to find that places that make growing old a little easier.
Pain at the Pump
With gas prices continuing to rise, we have look at which cities are hit hardest. Long commutes are a major factor that places several southeast cities in the top ten.
Best Cities for Teleworking
Teleworking has grown rapidly in recent years. We ranked cities based on the potential benefits that teleworking would offer residents in those cities.
America's Migraine Hot Spots
Everybody gets a headache now and then, but did you know that the severe headaches known as migraines affect over 29 million Americans? Unfortunately, migraine is as difficult to fully understand as it is prevalent. A new study by Sperling's BestPlaces’ spotlights those U.S. cities with the highest prevalence of factors that are most commonly associated with migraine.
Worst Cities for Respiratory Infections
A new analysis, which ranked the 50 worst cities for respiratory infections in the United States, was released today, naming Greenville, South Carolina as the top city for respiratory tract infections.
Hurricane Hotspots
We have updated our study of hurricane hotspots to reflect the active season.
Best Places to Live
The results are in for our annual study of the Best Places to Live.
Healthiest Cities
California shines, Ohio aches in battle for healthiest cities.
Best and Worst Cities for Sleep
Minnesota tops the list for slumber. New York might be the city that never sleeps, but it has some company from Detroit and a few other sleepless spots.
Most Challenging Cities to Navigate
Getting through a city should not be a problem, but many of America's metro areas are tough to navigate. We've ranked the most challenging cities and provided a few reasons that make some areas more difficult than others.
Fiscally Fit Cities Report
The report measures citizens in 50 metro areas on total Fiscal Fitness with Salt Lake City topping the list.
Best and Worst Cities for Dating
College towns and other places with young populations top our dating list. Fewer places to hang out (ex: coffee shops), puts cities like Wichita low on the list. Find out where your city stands.
Best and Worst Cities for Crime
Three New Jersey cities make the top five safest cities, while Arizona's largest two metro areas are some of the worst for crime. Learn more about our methodology and see where every metro area in the U.S. ranks.
Most and Least Stressful Cities
When it comes to stress, Tacoma, WA, has the most, according to our study using the Sperling Stress Index. Albany, NY, scores for least stressful.Find out more, including the rankings for all 331 metro areas in the U.S.