US News '150 Best Places to Live' features 1 from Minnesota, 3 from Wisconsin
US News' list of the 150 best metropolitan areas to live in America saw Minneapolis-St. Paul rank 27th, behind two Wisconsin cities.
The website analyzed "the 150 most populous metro areas" and ranked them based upon cost of living, desirability, the job market, and quality of life.
The Twin Cities were the only Minnesota entry onto the list, which is not surprising considering the ranking only looked at the most populous metro areas, with Rochester, Duluth, Fargo-Moorhead, and Mankato-North Mankato evidently too small to break into the top 150.
And while in 27th place, Minneapolis-St. Paul comfortably beat Wisconsin's most populous city, Milwaukee, which ranked 75th, it was behind Green Bay and Madison.
Green Bay, with a metro-area population of around 320,000, ranked 3rd overall, with Madison ranking 17th.
Of Green Bay, US News said: "Green Bay has the perfect mix of big-city amenities complemented with a Midwestern, small-town feel. This city boasts a thriving entertainment and arts scene, revitalized downtown, and two college campuses, creating an energy that may appeal to young families as well as retirees."
Related: Here are the 20 best places to live in Minnesota, according to Niche
Madison was praised for its "asual, down-to-earth feel," good food, and access to local produce.
As for the Twin Cities, the Summit Hill neighborhood of St. Paul and its "historic atmosphere" gets a shoutout in the write-up, as does Grand Avenue for its "locally-owned eateries and boutique shopping."
In Minneapolis, there's a mention of Eat Street in the south of the city, as well as its "mix of historical architecture and contemporary skyscrapers."
