This Bay Area city ranked high in livability; other local cities move up

In a new nationwide ranking of livable cities, Berkeley topped other Bay Area cities and ranked number six overall in the U.S. The study was compiled by Niche, which looked at factors like the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics, and access to amenities.

Niche also surveyed residents about their overall experience of the city, and many lauded Berkeley’s plentiful restaurants, parks, diversity and events. Some expressed concerns, however, about affordable housing and homelessness.

Other Bay Area cities moved up in the overall U.S. ranking including: Sunnyvale #14 (up from #16), Santa Clara #16 (up from #24), San Jose #99 (up from #115) and Oakland #134 (up from #140).

Here are the top 10 livable cities in the U.S., according to Niche:

1. Cambridge, Mass.
2. Arlington, Va.
3. The Woodlands, Tex.
4. Naperville, Ill.
5. Columbia, Md.
6. Berkeley, Calif.
7. Irvine, Calif.
8. Ann Arbor, Mich.
9. Overland Park, Kans.
10. Bellevue, Wash.