Both Hartford and Bridgeport rank in the top 25 percent of most livable metro areas in the country in a recent study from RentCafe. Hartford placed 24 in the rankings while Bridgeport finished 26.
Bridgeport was also ranked as having the ninth highest quality of life among surveyed metro areas, a metric that carried 40 percent of the weight in the formula used to determine the ranking. Hartford’s quality of life was ranked 22 out of 139 surveyed metro areas.
The study’s livability rating reviewed and scored 17 different metrics across three different categories: socioeconomics, location and community, and quality of life. Both quality of life and location and community ranks carried 40 percent weight. Socioeconomic rank carried 20 percent rank.
Factors influential in Hartford‘s 24 place ranking include its “strong local network, high education levels, and great access to wellness resources.” The city placed 22 in quality of life, 39 in location and community, and 80 in socioeconomics.
Bridgeport, ranked 26 for quality of life, placed 125 in socioeconomics, 9 in quality of life, and 80 in location and community.
Four other New England cities ranked higher than Hartford and Bridgeport: Boston; Providence, Rhode Island; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Portland, Maine.
Worcester, Massachusetts and New Haven were the only other ranked New England cities. New Haven was ranked 47 overall. The city was ranked 100 in economy, 17 in quality of life, and 96 in location and community.
Portland, Maine received not only the highest rating among included New England cities, but finished first overall across all metro areas included in the survey. Portland received an economy rank of 11, a quality rank of 5, and a location and community rank of 5. RentCafe listed the area’s higher education opportunities, diverse health care providers, and income growth as among its claims to fame, calling the city perfect for “fitness enthusiasts, foodies, and young professionals looking for a lifestyle that promotes work/life balance.”
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