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15 Hidden Gems: Unveiling the Underrated Cities of the USA

A user inquired about the best US cities to live in. Here are the top cities suggested based on quality of life.

PORTLAND

"Portland is walkable, bike-friendly, and boasts a significant light rail system. The Nike HQ is nearby and although not as economically strong as Seattle, it's never too cold."

SEATTLE

Seattle, a compact, walkable, and bikeable city with wide bus coverage, is expanding its light rail, with flourishing tech, publishing, biotech, medical sectors, and a vibrant theater scene.

LOS ANGELES

"LA boasts good weather, growing core, tech economy, and beautiful beaches. It's a hub for TV/Movie and tech industry, yet it lacks walkability. Transit's underrated here."

SAN FRANCISCO

"San Francisco is walkable, bikeable with beautiful architecture, transit could be better. Pricey, but great for tech. Better weather than Seattle, Portland, yet not as great as LA. Yosemite is nearby."

OAKLAND

"Oakland, a metro-connected city, is tethered to San Francisco. It's bikeable, slightly more affordable, and comes with better weather than SF, but has poor local beaches. Yosemite is hours away."

SACRAMENTO

"Sacramento, a delightful small city with a walkable core. Reliable economy owing to the state capitol, a major agriculture hub. Connected to bike-friendly Davis and the Bay Area via Amtrak."

NEW YORK CITY

"NYC, the most walkable US city, offers diverse transport options and surprising beach choices. As a cyclist, I feel unsafe here. The subway offers more options if avoiding Manhattan or Brooklyn. NYC is home to a diverse economy, publishing, fashion, and tech industries. It's more diverse and pro-union than anywhere else in the US."source

BOSTON

"Boston: walkable, decent metro and regional rail, biotech hub, numerous colleges, green line expansion soon. Enjoy Irish pubs and Italian pasta."

BALTIMORE

"Baltimore, affordable & walkable, is economically tied & run-down due to reliance on D.C regional rail line. It's yet to recover from past decline, with John Hopkins & a thriving art scene being its notable features."

CHICAGO

"Chicago, a walkable, bikeable, vibrant city with a stable, diverse economy & strong theater culture. Known for architecture & being a reformed Rust Belt metro. It's more down-to-earth than NYC or LA. It's quite pro-union too but the weather can be terrible."

PHILADELPHIA

"Philadelphia: walkable, famed for rowhomes & colonial aesthetic. Could improve with a transition from commuter to regional rail. Affordable, vibrant nightlife, thriving more than Baltimore. Smoking still allowed in certain bars." An hour from NYC via Amtrak.

MADISON

"Madison, WI is a beautiful smaller city with a good bus system and bike-friendly paths. Its transportation standard is high, reflected by its Platinum bike-friendly status."

MIAMI

“Miami: Fantastic weather. Terrible transit. Fun neighborhoods. It’s very Latino and has lots of good food. Besides, the beach didn’t feel like too many public spaces.”

BROOKLYN

"Brooklyn is all about walking, biking, and subways. Despite busy cars, our density makes getting around easy. Where else in America could match it?"

ANN ARBOR

“Ann Arbor. Walkable, safe, absolutely gorgeous. You’d have to be about the most miserable, disagreeable person to go wrong with Ann Arbor.”

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