The 10 Best Cities to Live in America Are . . .

Which cities in America are the best to live in? It is an age-old debate and in an effort to settle it, for 2019 at least, U.S. News & World Report has just released its annual list of the best places to live in America.

In order to establish the winners, the survey analyzed the 125 most populous metropolitan areas in the country. To make the top of the list, each city had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market, and a high quality of life. Additional factors such as median household income, crime rates, and the overall availability to healthcare were also taken into account then compared to results from a poll that asked 2,500 people from across the country where they would ultimately prefer to live, Today noted.

Topping the list for the third time in a row was Austin, Texas, which also ranked as one of the top cities to retire in. Denver and Colorado Springs ranked second and third respectively, followed by Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Des Moines, Iowa, rounding out the top five.

"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, according to Today. "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."

On the opposite end of the scale, San Juan, Puerto Rico, ranked at the bottom of the list along with Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, and several California cities.

Here are the top 10 best cities to live in America, according to U.S. News & World Report:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Denver, Colorado
3. Colorado Springs, Colorado
4. Fayetteville, Arkansas
5. Des Moines, Iowa
6. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
7. San Francisco, California
8. Portland, Oregon
9. Seattle, Washington
10. Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina