Triangle residents rejoice! The 2021-22 U.S. News & World Best Places to Live report is in, and following Boulder, Colo., Raleigh-Durham ranked #2 out of 150 cities on the list!
The rankings were determined by whether a city had good value, high desirability, a strong job market, and high quality of life. Also included in the rankings was a U.S News-conducted survey that asked 3,600 people across the country about living area preferences.
Thanks to a successful job market and high desirability ratings, Raleigh-Durham made a substantial jump from its No. 11 spots last year. The pandemic potentially played a significant role in influencing those factors. According to U.S. News, a third of Americans surveyed say the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their living preferences.
Devin Thorsby, a real estate editor at the U.S News, noted that Raleigh-Durham is less dense than other major metropolitan areas like New York or Boston.
“I think that played in the area’s favor because a lot of people like the idea of having all the amenities of the city, but also having enough space,” Thorsby told The News & Observer in an interview. That’s especially in light of the pandemic, Thorsby said.
Regarding Raleigh-Durham's successful job market, Thorsby explained that the area maintained employment stability due to its heavily focused economy in research and academics.
“Those areas where we see aerospace research, technology, higher education — all those things have been able to keep unemployment rates from climbing too high, especially when you compare it to cities that maybe are more based in tourism and hospitality, like Boston, Las Vegas, and New York City,” she said.
Despite rising home prices and a chaotic housing market in the Triangle, those factors were not deterrents in the U.S. News ranking. Many metropolitan areas are also experiencing hectic housing markets, making rising prices in Raleigh-Durham relatively normal.
Do you want to live in one of the most desirable cities in the country? Get in touch with us at BOLD Real Estate to help you make a BOLD move to Raleigh-Durham–#2 in U.S. News Best Places to Live! Get connected with one of our agents or call our office at 919.590.0266.