Editor’s Letter: Livable America

What makes some places more "livable" than others? The question has a new importance as many Americans, unmoored from the office, decamp for Phoenix, Boulder, or other spots that frequently rank near the top on lists of U.S. cities with the highest quality of life.

Our essay "The Ups and Downs of Livability Rankings" and the section that follows examine some of the most common metrics for livability and unpack the values, ideologies, and implicit judgments baked into them. Along the way, we talk with a diverse group in five Los Angeles households who recently switched neighborhoods about the real-life factors that swayed their choices, a New Orleans designer and activist about how to prevent gentrification as neighborhoods improve, and people whose once high-scoring regions have been drastically affected by climate change and are having to adapt to a new reality. 

As we interviewed residents and ranked the rankings, it solidified our own criteria for livable places, and they center on a few key qualities.

Human-Focused Planning: Walkable communities and what are known as 15-minute cities—where most needs are within short travel distances—are ideal. But it’s just as important to consider the actual amount of space devoted to people versus cars and for small-scale retail versus big-box bloat.

Economic Diversity: We value places with a variety of housing—particularly high-density and affordable housing—that allows people with different budgets and in different professions to live close to jobs, schools, and healthcare.

Safe Spaces (for Everyone): One person’s policing is someone else’s threat. People of all colors, sexualities, gender expressions, religions, and backgrounds should feel safe where they work and reside.

Sustainability and Health: Ecology and human health go hand in hand. For all to thrive, localities should incorporate sustainable environmental practices in addition to supporting the health of people—of all abilities—who live there.

Community Agency: Centralized planning can help ensure that spaces are used in just and equitable ways, but the best policies often percolate up from the grass roots and empower residents with the authority to determine the future of their cities, their neighborhoods, their blocks, and their homes.

In the coming year, we will be profiling neighborhoods around the United States, asking residents to assess their communities based on these criteria. Our goal is to learn from the best places to live—as defined by the people who call them home.