U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today unveiled the 2019 Best Places to Live in the United States. The new list evaluates the country's 125 most populous metropolitan areas based on affordability, job prospects and quality of life. For the third year in a row, Austin, Texas, takes the No. 1 spot, followed by Denver at No. 2 and Colorado Springs, Colorado at No. 3. Fayetteville, Arkansasmoves up a spot to No. 4, and Des Moines, Iowa rounds out the top five.

While the majority of the top 25 Best Places to Live are located in the middle of the country, the tech boom has had a regional effect on the Pacific Northwest. San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle make the top 10 at Nos. 7, 8 and 9, respectively. Washington, D.C., which dropped from No. 8 to No. 19 this year due to a decrease in housing affordability and net migration, is the only city in the Northeast to crack the top 20. Portland, Maine, No. 23, comes in ahead of Boston, No. 27, while New York City ranks No. 90 on the list.

"Our Northeastern cities, which are epicenters of higher education and economic development, are not growing nearly as much as places in Florida, California and Texas," said Devon Thorsby, Real Estate editor for U.S. News & World Report. "Plus, they are expensive to live in. Top-ranked places have the characteristics people are looking for, including steady job growth, affordability and a high quality of life."

Several metro areas saw significant gains year over year. San Francisco moved up from No. 20 to No. 7 due to desirability, quality of life and job market increases. Despite expensive housing, the city has the highest desirability and job market scores among all cities. Asheville, North Carolina, moved up 8 spots to No. 16 thanks to slight improvements across the board. At No. 18, Sarasota, Florida, debuted in the top 20, with the highest net migration score and increases in desirability, affordability, quality of life and job growth. Tampa, Florida, boasted housing affordability, net migration, quality of life, and job market scores that contributed to its climb from No. 75 to No. 56 this year.

The 2019 Best Places to Live were determined in part using a public survey of thousands of individuals throughout the U.S. to find out what qualities they consider important in a hometown. The methodology also factors in data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as the U.S. News rankings of the Best High Schools and Best Hospitals.

Best Places to Live is part of U.S. News' expanding Money channel, which includes Credit Cards, Real Estate, Investing, Retirement, and Careers content, rankings and in-depth analysis to help consumers navigate complex financial decisions. U.S. News helps individuals better understand the housing market, from getting a mortgage and working with an agent to buying and selling a home.

2019 U.S. News Best Places to Live Rankings – Top 10*See the full rankings here.