Reviewed by: Mary Helene Hall
Birmingham named 6th best place to live in U.S.
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Birmingham is the 6th “Best Place to Live” in the United States, according to a 2026 report released by Livability.com.
This is the 13th year the group has published its highly-anticipated 2026 Top 100 Best Places to Live list, which also ranked Huntsville #1 on the national list, making it the first time two Alabama cities cracked the top 10, which are:
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Carmel, Indiana
- Sugarland, Texas
- Naperville, Illinois
- Plano, Texas
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Troy, Michigan
- Overland Park, Kansas
- Round Rock, Texas
- New Braunfels, Texas
About Livability
Based in Franklin, Tennessee, Livability’s Editor in Chief Amanda Ellis says her publication is all about covering, promoting, highlighting and showcasing small to medium sized cities (populations of 75,000 to 500,000) across the U.S.
“This list is one of our major pieces of content for the whole year and it is driven by data. We look at 2,000+ cities that fit the population constraint.”
Birmingham has a lot to offer
Livability’s rankings include a profile of Birmingham, which provides the evidence why The Magic City did so well in the latest ranking:
- Birmingham’s foodie scene and James Beard winners
- Railroad Park
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Birmingham Museum of Art
- Rev Birmingham + Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
Ellis told us Birmingham’s appearance on the list is a first in several years.
“We look at eight different categories of data to score places. From environment to education to health to economy. We do adjust that algorithm a little bit each year depending on current events, kind of what’s going on in the world. We gave some extra weight this year to the housing and cost of living category.”
Amanda Ellis, Livability Editor in Chief
The bottom line? It’s nice to see The Magic City getting some well deserved national recognition!
Let’s keep the momentum going. Below are some additional recent accolades:
- Birmingham ranked 4th best U.S. city for first-time homebuyers
- 8 Birmingham employers named best in the U.S. by Forbes
- Birmingham ranked No. 1 in U.S. for Easter celebrations
- Major foodie site names Birmingham one of the best places to eat in the world
- Wall Street Journal ranks Birmingham in top five metros for young professionals
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