Many factors that make the biggest cities in the United States great places to visit—good weather, world-class museums, and quality restaurants—also make them great cities to live in. Resonance, a consultancy group in real estate, tourism, and economic development, considered these factors as well as user-generated data from social media to create a comprehensive ranking of the best cities in the United States for travelers and residents.
This year, for the ninth annual list, the organization has also partnered with Ipsos for “perception-based data,” according to Resonance Consultancy President and CEO Chris Fair. That means “exploring what a city offers versus how it is perceived by the broader population, says Ipsos Executive Vice President, Head of U.S. Corporate Reputation Jason McGrath. “By merging the top-of-mind destinations where people tell us they want to live, work, and visit with the rigorous evaluation of place that Resonance has been conducting for nearly a decade, we have created a more comprehensive evaluation of cities and can better advise destinations on how to strengthen their reputation,” he adds.
How the cities are ranked
To determine which cities would be considered for this list, Resonance looked at U.S. cities with populations of more than 500,000. Each city was ranked based on a combination of core statistics and user-generated data from the likes of Tripadvisor and Instagram. Everything comes together for its proprietary Place Power Score.
In previous years, cities were ranked in six categories (People, Place, Product, Programming, Promotion, and Prosperity) but in 2024 they’re ordered by three larger pillars: Livability, Lovability, and Prosperity. In addition to Resonance’s data, Ipsos surveyed 2,000 adults on these topics, asking three key questions:
Livability: What are the top three towns or cities you would most like to live in?
Lovability: What are the top three towns or cities you would most like to visit?
Prosperity: Which three towns or cities do you think offer the best job opportunities?
These are the best cities in the United States to live in and visit in 2024, according to Resonance and Ipsos.
New York’s endlessly fascinating neighborhoods, including Queens, are constantly transforming themselves.
Photo by Dolly Faibyshev
1. New York City
Highlighted rankings: Livability (1), Prosperity (1)
Why we love it: New York City has (once again) taken the top spot in Resonance’s annual rankings. Make no mistake: Being at the top for the past few years is no easy feat. But the Big Apple has proved its staying power with renovated airports, world-class hotels, and museums enticing people to see the city.
Nowadays, there’s a lot to explore in NYC’s neighborhoods. Museums like the beloved Met and the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens have undergone renovations and expansions in recent years alongside the introduction of new destinations like the Bronx Children’s Museum, the Museum of Broadway, and the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. Meanwhile, Central Park, the High Line, the Little Island—located on the Hudson near the Meatpacking District—and other outdoor spaces entice you to come outside to relax. Midtown Manhattan has also made a comeback with a revamped Tiffany’s, new hotels, and the opening of the Museum of Broadway. Getting here is even easier, too. As Resonance notes, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport all have new terminals.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to New York.
Millennium Park is just one of Chicago’s many scenic outdoor spaces.
Photo by Thomas Barrat/Shutterstock
2. Chicago, Illinois
Highlighted rankings: Livability (2), Prosperity (3)
Why we love it: There’s plenty to celebrate in Chicago. The Resonance report notes its summer of world-class festivals, including Lollapalooza and the free Millennium Park Summer Music Series, as well as the 160 breweries. We love the city’s dining scene, with noteworthy restaurants including Venteux, a French brasserie from Michelin-starred chef Donald Young, and Bazaar Meat and Bar Mar under chef José Andrés. Live music has also fully bounced back post-pandemic. Check out the Salt Shed, based in a former factory warehouse, to get your fix.
We wouldn’t expect any less from a city that’s historically been able to thrive in the midst of adversity. More than 150 years ago, the Great Fire destroyed over 2,000 acres of central Chicago and left nearly 100,000 people without homes. But the city hasn’t let disaster define it; instead, it’s met obstacles with a resilience you need to see for yourself.
“Chicago sees itself, since the fire, as a city able to withstand whatever,” Shermann Dilla Thomas, a historian and lifelong resident who offers guided Chicago tours, told Afar. “It also makes us a city that doesn’t believe in small plans. After you get a blank canvas, the sky’s the limit.”
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Chicago.
The Hollywood sign turned 100 in 2023, but the city’s rank is as much about L.A.'s new openings and future events as its storied history.
Photo by Maks Urshov/Shutterstock
3. Los Angeles, California
Highlighted rankings: Prosperity (2), Lovability (3)
Why we love it: While Hollywood’s prowess is the most commonly associated aspect of Los Angeles, the city’s restaurant scene in all its richness and diversity is just as intertwined with L.A.'s identity. Vanguards like La Cha Cha Chá, Alma, and even LA Plaza Cocina (a museum and teaching kitchen that honors Mexico’s culinary heritage) offer outstanding dining experiences. Museums rank no. 2 only behind NYC, with the Broad, the Grand, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures all well worth a visit.
Big events are heading this way, too. The city will host some 2026 FIFA World Cup games, the NBA All-Star Game that same year, and the Olympic Games in Summer 2028.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Los Angeles.
The beachside location of Miami is hard to resist.
Photo by pisaphotography/Shutterstock
4. Miami, Florida
Highlighted rankings: Livability (3), Prosperity (11)
Why we love it: Miami has historically been a meeting point for the Americas, making it a no-brainer that it ranked high on the list. But in this city, diversity goes beyond nationality; the city’s allure for the LGBTQ community and ex–Silicon Valley techies gives it a sense of welcome that many people are embracing.
In 2023 Miami moved into the top 10 for the first time, and this year it jumps from sixth to fourth. While it could rest on its open-minded reputation and beachside location to draw people, the city is also putting in the work to stay relevant. A new Waldorf Astoria Hotel is set to open in 2027, the most prominent construction amid a raft of new development.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Miami.
The Sphere is just the latest eye-opening attraction in a city known for them.
Photo by ByDroneVideos / Shutterstock
5. Las Vegas
Highlighted rankings: Livability (7), Prosperity (16)
Why we love it: Vegas—a new entry in the top 10—was ranked the second-most lovable city in America, so perhaps it’s not surprising it was visited by almost 41 million people in 2023. What happens here might stay here, but its reputation precedes it.
Those visitors have even more options for accommodation and entertainment than ever before, including the $4.3 billion Resorts World Las Vegas (comprising three hotels) and the hotly anticipated Fontainebleau, which is “the largest residential/hotel structure on the strip,” according to Resonance, and boasts a casual 36 restaurants. Oh yeah, and then there’s The Sphere. And, from 2028, there will be a high-speed train to Vegas from Rancho Cucamonga in the Los Angeles area.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Las Vegas.
Afar’s original hometown, San Francisco is one of our favorite cities for obvious reasons.
Photo by Sand Crain/Unsplash
6. San Francisco, California
Highlighted rankings: Livability (4), Prosperity (6)
Why we love it: San Francisco has long drawn people and companies alike—Afar included—to the West Coast. Thanks to the Bay Area’s world-renowned universities like Stanford and UC Berkeley, San Francisco has one of the most educated and prosperous populations. While the city’s lack of affordable housing cannot be ignored, the migration of big companies to lower-taxed havens like Texas and Florida has produced a silver lining in lower house prices and rents.
As Resonance points out, “The city is rolling out the most daring bike and pedestrian infrastructure in America and unlocking the public space potential of places like the Presidio (featuring the new Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 14-acre park built over the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels).”
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to San Francisco.
Historical landmarks draw millions of tourists to Boston each year.
Photo by f11photo/Shutterstock
7. Boston, Massachusetts
Highlighted rankings: Prosperity (7), Lovability (9)
Why we love it: Boston is home to more than 75 institutions of higher learning—including Harvard and MIT—giving it the top spot in the University category and a high ranking in the Educational attainment category. But it’s not only students who come to Boston. As the oldest large city in America, it draws millions of tourists each year to see historical landmarks along the Freedom Trail, including the USS Constitution and the King’s Chapel.
The old city is getting some upgrades, including a 5,000-room increase in the next six years across planned hotels like the 1,055-room Omni Boston Hotel and the Raffles Boston. Things are also cooking in the entertainment realm, with Live Nation’s construction of MGM Music Hall at Fenway. This 5,000-seat concert hall, which opened in August 2022, extends the legendary ballpark to accommodate four new levels of event space.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Boston.
In addition to its famous monuments, Washington, D.C.’s neighborhoods have become another major tourism draw for the capital.
Photo by Orhan Cam/Shutterstock
8. Washington, D.C.
Highlighted rankings: Prosperity (9), Lovability (10)
Why we love it: Unsurprisingly, the nation’s capital scores well for its many free museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and other Smithsonian institutions like the National Air and Space Museum. In addition to all of its exhibitions are many neighborhoods worth exploring—Brookland, NoMa, Shaw, and the LGBTQ-friendly Logan Circle, to name a few—that show the city isn’t relying on its history to attract locals and visitors.
What makes D.C. a city worth visiting now is new developments—$9.6 billion of them, says Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC. “The city has added new hotels, museums, rooftops, Michelin-rated dining, and more for travelers to explore.”
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Washington, D.C.
The rooftop bar at the Thompson Seattle delivers some of the best views of Elliott Bay.
Thompson Seattle
9. Seattle, Washington
Highlighted rankings: Livability (5), Prosperity (13)
Why we love it: Off in the far-most corner of the Pacific Northwest, the pine-scented idyll of Seattle is one of the country’s best-kept secrets, with a high quality of life that comes from continued investment from big tech and (literally) greener pastures.
That commitment to sustainability makes it a big draw for tastemakers and creatives in various fields, many of whom spoke to Afar for our Great American Cities feature on Seattle.
Wondering what you’ll get when you arrive? Top-notch boating and hiking, food and drinks, theater and music, and—from next year—a fully opened walkable, bikable waterfront.
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Seattle.
Houston Heights—referred to by locals as the Heights—is one of the city’s earliest planned communities and a neighborhood favored by artists.
Photo courtesy of Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
10. Houston, Texas
Highlighted rankings: Prosperity (5), Lovability (14)
Why we love it: “Austin may get the attention, but the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston,” says Resonance. “In the past year, the metro population swelled above 7 million for the first time ever, and the city today is one of America’s most ethnically diverse, with more than 145 languages spoken at home.”
It’s easy to see why it’s so popular. For starters, the food is some of the best in the Lone Star state. Then there are the festivals, including film fests and Juneteenth bashes, and starting next year, the city will be home to the first Ismaili Center in the United States, a space “designed to embody a spirit of openness and dialogue.”
Plan your next trip with Afar’s Guide to Houston.
To see the full list of the 100 best cities in the United States, visit Worldsbestcities.com.
This article was originally published in 2020 and was updated in June 2024 to reflect new rankings.
