Quincy, MA downtown at dusk

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
749
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 70
Demographics 55
Economy 77
Education 68
Health 55
Housing 52
Infrastructure 48

#6. Quincy, MA

Located along Quincy Bay just south of Boston, Quincy, MA is so much more than a suburb. This city of 100,000 residents is a historical heavy-hitter: the birthplace of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams and John Hancock, the first Massachusetts governor and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. Today, it maintains much of that historic charm while keeping a firm eye toward the future, as one of our best places to live in the U.S. The city’s downtown area, called New Quincy Center, is one of Massachusetts’s latest urban revitalization projects spanning more than 50 acres of shops, restaurants, housing, and commercial space.

Top Colleges/Universities: Quincy College 

Top Industries & Employers: Insurance, financial services, health care, retail

Weekend Plans: Stroll the boardwalk at Marina Bay (with views of the Boston skyline), then hang out on one of the city’s 11 beaches. 

Favorite Place to Feast: The Townshend, named for the import duties the British imposed on the American colonies in the 1760s. This laid-back American tavern celebrates the colonies’ “refreshing independent sensibility.”

Outdoorsy Activity: Playing a round at Granite Links, a gorgeous links-style golf course built from repurposed landfills and granite quarries.

Rooftop Bar: Alba Restaurant, an upscale steakhouse with a super-popular rooftop bar that doubles as an herb and produce garden.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: Though historic cities can get a bad rap for feeling cramped, Quincy offers plenty of room for your pup to spread his legs. There are 52 all-purpose parks, plus a brand-new dog park.

Remote Work Perk: The Thomas Crane Public Library, built in 1882, is a truly stunning place to get some work done, with gorgeous pine woodwork, stained glass windows and a big beautiful fireplace.

One More Thing … Quincy was home to one of the first commercial railroads in the United States, the Granite Railway, which transported granite from Quincy’s quarries.

– Sarah Kuta

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