Fayetteville has been named one of the 2019 Top 100 Best Places to Live by Livability.com, outpacing more than 1,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 1,000,000.
Fayetteville placed 42 on the list for the study, according to a Livability.com press release, the rankings for which were guided by Livability.com, in partnership with Ipsos. More than 1,000 millennials across the country were surveyed to determine what matters most to them when making relocation decisions.
The top responses -- affordability and job opportunities -- were factored into this year's ranking criteria, including a cap on housing costs, the release said. No city on Livability's 2019 Top 100 Best Places to Live has a median home value exceeding $250,000.
"The cities on this year's list represent the best of the best when it comes to affordability and opportunity," said Livability.com Editor-in-Chief Winona Dimeo-Ediger. "These 100 cities are not just fantastic places to live in terms of their amenities, education, health care and infrastructure, they are places where young people can build amazing careers and communities."
Fayetteville earned a spot on Livability's Top 100 Best Places to Live list because of its solid economy -- with an unemployment rate that's currently at 2.6%, the release said. The city's access to amenities like the Walton Arts Center and the Dickson Street entertainment district, which is home to all the quirky restaurants, galleries, clubs and boutiques that make up the heart of Fayetteville, were also factors.
But Fayetteville's biggest asset is its proximity to a whole lot of beautiful scenery in the Ozarks, and residents can take full advantage of it by biking on their extensive trails, kayaking on the nearby rivers or hiking and enjoying the views, the release said.
Little Rock placed 90 on the list, which can be viewed in its entirety on Livability.com, along with each city's LivScore and information about the qualities and amenities that helped them make the list.
NW News on 03/20/2019