Life Score Rankings

Our composite quality-of-life rating combines 7 data dimensions into a single score. Each metro and state gets a percentile-based grade from A+ to F based on cost of living, wages, rent, safety, schools, childcare costs, and environmental quality.

How It Works

Each dimension is scored on a 0-100 percentile scale across all metros (or states). For dimensions where lower is better (cost, rent, crime, childcare), the score is inverted so that 100 always means "best." The weighted composite determines the final grade.

Cost of Living

20%

Wages

20%

Rent

15%

Safety

15%

Schools

10%

Childcare

10%

Environment

10%

Grade scale: A+ (95+), A (90-94), A- (85-89), B+ (80-84), B (75-79), B- (70-74), C+ (65-69), C (60-64), C- (55-59), D (45-54), F (<45).

Top 20 Metros

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#	Metro	Grade	Score	cost	wages	rent	crime	schools	childcare	enviro
1	Wildwood-The Villages, FL	B-	71.6	98	47	48	83	88	46	97
2	Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	B-	71.5	91	45	88	72	46	64	95
3	Paducah, KY-IL	C+	70.0	94	22	96	77	53	88	68
4	Winston-Salem, NC	C+	69.8	62	36	97	92	62	57	98
5	St. Cloud, MN	C+	69.5	90	75	63	65	54	34	86
6	Wheeling, WV-OH	C+	68.2	85	21	94	98	23	61	97
7	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	C+	66.7	93	36	72	72	45	64	84
8	Greenville, NC	C+	66.6	84	38	83	94	60	59	36
9	Toledo, OH	C+	66.3	67	53	86	57	88	30	90
10	Tuscaloosa, AL	C+	66.3	88	31	75	39	73	90	91
11	Rocky Mount, NC	C+	65.8	87	20	74	93	62	57	76
12	Youngstown-Warren, OH	C+	65.8	90	17	94	56	88	30	99
13	Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH	C+	65.7	80	13	94	99	23	61	96
14	Ames, IA	C+	65.2	82	65	91	73	44	66	3
15	Parkersburg-Vienna, WV	C+	65.2	91	11	98	99	22	62	69
16	Spartanburg, SC	C	64.4	69	41	65	96	27	69	85
17	Cedar Rapids, IA	C	64.2	81	50	97	73	44	66	15
18	Sioux Falls, SD-MN	C	64.0	72	44	95	48	18	94	84
19	Peoria, IL	C	63.9	68	68	90	63	41	27	69
20	Dubuque, IA	C	63.5	90	41	86	72	45	65	25

Top 10 States

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#	State	Grade	Score	cost	wages	rent	crime	schools	childcare	enviro
1	West Virginia	C+	67.1	84	6	94	100	36	68	96
2	Mississippi	C	64.5	98	0	100	86	24	98	48
3	Wyoming	C	63.2	70	40	74	82	8	70	100
4	Iowa	C	62.8	96	28	84	62	58	73	30
5	North Dakota	C	62.8	86	54	90	58	6	52	68
6	Wisconsin	C	61.9	62	56	66	52	60	48	98
7	North Carolina	C	60.9	60	34	52	94	70	66	66
8	Nebraska	C	60.3	80	30	78	76	34	64	54
9	Kentucky	C-	59.9	78	12	86	70	62	89	34
10	South Carolina	C-	59.8	64	22	54	96	44	77	80

Data Sources

Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents
Safety: FBI Crime Data Explorer
Schools: NCES Common Core of Data
Childcare: DOL National Database of Childcare Prices
Environment: EPA ECHO Enforcement Data

Reviewed byPlainCompare Editorial, City State Comparison Editorial Team · June 5, 2026