Two neighboring Indiana suburbs made history in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Places to Live rankings.
For the first time ever, neighboring cities claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the annual rankings.
Carmel Leads the Nation
Carmel, Indiana, ranked first overall, while nearby Fishers secured the No. 2 position. U.S. News said Carmel earned the top spot because of strong scores in affordability and desirability. Job market strength is also played a major role in their calculations.
The city sits just outside Indianapolis and has continued growing as one of the state’s most recognizable suburban communities.
Fishers also ranked highly because of affordability and a strong local economy.
Texas Cities Also Performed Well
Texas placed four cities inside the top 10 rankings. Flower Mound ranked No. 3, while Frisco came in at No. 9. Leander secured the No. 8 spot and Sugar Land rounded out the top 10.
U.S. News said affordability played a major role in Texas cities performing well this year.
2026-2027 Best Places to Live Top 10
1. Carmel, Indiana
2. Fishers, Indiana
3. Flower Mound, Texas
4. Ankeny, Iowa
5. Johns Creek, Georgia
6. Hoover, Alabama
7. Rochester Hills, Michigan
8. Leander, Texas
9. Frisco, Texas
10. Sugar Land, Texas
Affordability Becoming More Important
U.S. News said affordability is becoming one of the biggest priorities for Americans deciding where to live. Consumer lending analyst Erika Giovanetti said rising everyday costs are causing many families to prioritize affordability over aspiration.
The report found quality of life and affordability were nearly equal in importance among survey respondents.
How the Rankings Were Calculated
U.S. News evaluated cities using four major categories: value, quality of life, desirability and job market strength.
The rankings were built using public survey responses along with data from government agencies and internal research sources.
Researchers also used information from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FEMA, FBI and NOAA.
See the full 2026-2027 Best Places to Live rankings here: Click here for the full rankings. For more articles by the author, go to: Pete’s Blog. Follow Pete on Twitter/X and YouTube. Image credit: Peter Maiorano.
