Michigan City Named the No. 2 Best to Live in the U.S.
There’s no denying that Michigan is a great place to live. I grew up in this state, so I might be biased, but I do think that Michigan has a…
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There's no denying that Michigan is a great place to live. I grew up in this state, so I might be biased, but I do think that Michigan has a lot to offer, whether it's the four seasons or awesome colleges and pro sports or the Great Lakes.
Well, it's now official that Michigan is a great place to live, as one of our cities has been named the No. 2 city to live in the United States for 2022.
For nine years now, Livability.com has been ranking the most livable small to mid-sized cities in America. This year, the outlet looked at 2,300 mid-sized cities with populations of 500,000 or less. Then, it got down to its top 100. "Every year, the list changes: we conduct exclusive studies and surveys, adjust our algorithm and add new variables and data points," they state. "But one thing remains constant: We always start with the data. This year, we examined more than 2,300 cities based on more than 50 data points that are grouped into eight categories, measuring a city's economic stability, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital and health care. This is how we calculate each city's LivScore."
The also too the "wow" factor into consideration. "Yes, these are all statistically great places to live, but would you actually want to live here?" they ask. "What are the ways in which each of these cities is creating an environment that is accommodating for remote workers? Where can you spend a Saturday afternoon or meet your friends for happy hour after a long day? How is this city different from other places?"
So, which Michigan city is No. 2 on the list? Ann Arbor. "Exciting things are happening in Ann Arbor," the outlet explains. "The University of Michigan provides a robust and homegrown talent pipeline for healthcare and tech sectors, and the college’s presence keeps the city young at heart." Madison, Wisconsin, came in at No. 1 on the tally. Find the full list here.
Michigan is a great state, in my opinion, but we have some areas where you have to be extra careful. As it turns out, a whopping four of our cities are considered among the biggest murder capitals of America. Considering there are only 30 on the upcoming list, that's a pretty big chunk from the Mitten.
Neighborhoodscout.com has put together a list of the Top 30 Murder Capitals of America. "Big cities and small, our crime research reveal the 30 cities in America with the highest number of murders per 1,000 residents," they state in the study. "Murder is the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. We limited our research to cities with 25,000 or more people. Data used for this research are the number of murders reported to have occurred in each city, and the population of each city."
As for where Neighborhoodscout.com gets their data, "City population data we use are the latest available directly from the US Bureau of the Census at the time of each analysis. For instance, the 2022 list population uses 2020 population figures. The 2021 list uses 2019 figures, and so forth."
What's extra interesting for Michiganders is that one of the cities on this list is a newcomer to the annual tally. That city is Saginaw. According to the study, "the number of murders in Saginaw more than doubled from the previous year." Saginaw isn't alone, though, as 14 of the cities on this list are new. But, Saginaw isn't the only Michigan city that's considered one of the top murder capitals of America. In fact, four Michigan cities are on the tally. Find the full list and more information here.
30. Richmond, VA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .29
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29. Washington, DC
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .29
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28. Cincinnati, OH
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .30
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27. Florence, SC
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .30
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26. San Bernardino, CA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .31
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25. North Little Rock, AR
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .31
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24. Camden, NJ
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .32
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23. North Charleston, SC
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .33
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22. Dayton, OH
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .33
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21. Milwaukee, WI
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .33
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20. Kansas City, MO
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .35
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19. Portsmouth, VA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .35
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18. Shreveport, LA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .37
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17. Inkster, MI
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .38
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16. Monroe, LA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .40
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15. Alexandria, LA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .42
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14. Riviera Beach, FL
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .43
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13. Cleveland, OH
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .43
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12. Trenton, NJ
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .44
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11. Baton Rouge, LA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .45
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10. Wilmington, DE
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .45
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9. Memphis, TN
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .46
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8. Harrisburg, PA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .46
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7. Detroit, MI
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .52
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6. New Orleans, LA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .52
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5. Pine Bluff, AR
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .56
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4. Saginaw, MI
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .57
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3. Flint, MI
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .58
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2. Petersburg, VA
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .72
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1. St. Louis, MO
Murder Rate (per 1,000 residents): .87
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Top 30 Murder Capitals of America:
This list is via Neighborhoodscout.com.
