UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#8. Ames
Anchored by a top research university and an engaged community, Ames has made our Top 100 Best Places to Live three years in a row and our Top 10 Best College Towns in 2014. This intelligent city ranks in the top 10 for educational attainment on the list and the top 5 for high wage job growth. It’s a place that makes it easy to live, work and play, ranking in the top 5 for affordable housing and the top 20 for culture. Ames boasts a relatively low unemployment rate (in the top 20) and creativity, ranked in the top 20 for creative class workers.