![Top of the Heap: Albany Ranked #1 Place to Live in New York](http://townsquare.media/site/79/files/2019/03/GettyImages-1088009366.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Top of the Heap: Albany Ranked #1 Place to Live in New York
In a recent survey by U.S. News and World Report, Albany ranked as the #1 place to live in New York State in a poll "intended to help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to settle down."
Albany, Really?
For all the eye-rolls and raised eyebrows that a post like this will likely bring, as an Albany kid, these are the kinds of things I truly enjoy writing about. Sure, living in Albany means putting up with year-round fireworks and police sirens but it also offers a ton more. And when you take a look at Albany from 30,000 feet away, it's easy to see why the state capital was recently ranked so highly by the legit source. Sometimes as they say, you can't see the forest from the trees.
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The Data
U.S. News did a deep dive into of the best metro areas in the United States to "find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there." In that report, Albany ranked 45th in the nation. But on a much more local level, the home to the Empire, US Great Danes, state workers and Governor Cuomo ranked #1.
The Scores
Based upon a score of 1-10, the 5 different criteria they judged us on were desirability (5.9), value (7.3), job market (7.2), quality of life (6.8) and net migration (5.8), Albany had an overall average score of 6.7, the highest in the state.
Best of the Rest
To see the complete list of national rankings, and state rankings click here.
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