FRAMINGHAM, MA —  Livability Media, which provides information about and ranks cities, towns, regions and states on how “livable” they are, has ranked Framingham at #22 in their 8th annual 2021 Top 100 Best Place to Live in America.

Framingham has moved up two notches this year, (it was ranked #24 in Livability’s 2020 list), but still lags behind Quincy, MA which ranked in the Top 10 at #6 from over 2,300 U.S. cities surveyed.

The Top 10 rankings went to:

• #1 – Madison, WI
• #2 – Ann Arbor, MI
• #3 – Overland Park, KS
• #4 – Frederick, MD
• #5 – Charlottesville, VA
• #6 – Quincy, MA
• #7 – Hillsboro, OR
• #8 – Roseville, CA
• #9 – Colorado Springs, CO
• #10 – Vancouver, WA

For their annual rankings Livability “explores what makes small-to-medium sized cities [those with with populations between 20,000 and 1,000,000] great places to live”. They then develop a “LivScore” based on data in nine categories; Civics, Demographics, Economy, Education, Health, Housing, Infrastructure, Amenities — and for 2021 how “Remote-work Ready” a community is.

Framingham’s overall “LivScore” was [714] — with high marks in Demographics [70], Civics [69], Health [64] and Economy [63] and lower ratings for Housing [56], Infrastructure [47] and Education at [43].

In her review of Framingham, Livability editor Brittany Anas writes, “with New England beauty and charm, this college town boasts just under 73,000 residents and is particularly loved for its diverse population and dedicated civil servants. Whether you’re looking for terrific public schools, an exhilarating nightlife, or just an ideal place to raise a family, Framingham’s got it.”

The report includes mentions of Framingham State University, (local college), Bose, Metrowest Medical Center and Staples (as major employers), amenities like The Danforth Art Museum, Cushing Memorial Park, the Framingham Public Library, Hanson’s Farm u-pick produce and fall corn maze, food and drink from Legal Seafoods, Bella Costa, J&M Diner, Mad Willie’s Ice Cream and Exhibit “A” Brewing Company.

To see the entire 2021 Top 100 list, visit: livability.com

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