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AARP Livability Index Top 100

AARP created the AARP Livability™ platform as a first of its kind, data-driven, web-based tool that measures every community and neighborhood in the US for the key amenities and services that affect the quality of life for people of all ages in the areas of Housing, Transportation, Neighborhood, Health, Environment, social and civic Engagement, and educational and economic Opportunity.

The AARP Livability Index™ platform is rooted in the fact that where you live matters. Your home, neighborhood, and community impact every aspect of your life—now and well into the future. The Index helps people understand where they live or where they choose to live affects their quality of life--such as their proximity to jobs, family’s access to quality health services, what kind of housing options are available to them, the availability of clean air and water, affordable and accessible transportation, access to nearby park space, and recreational opportunities, to name a few.

The Index draws on more than 50 different sources of data to determine which among America’s largest cities to smallest neighborhoods are the top performing livable communities. The tool measures every city, county, and town against 61 indicators of livability, ranging from monthly housing costs to environmental pollution, opportunities for strong social connections to the presence of age-friendly plans.

The following four lists, Very Large, Large, Mid-size, and Small, represent the top performing communities by population size.

Changes to the Methodology for Determining the Top Performing Communities Lists

AARP updated the method to select the 2023 top-performing communities to include both cities, towns, villages and counties. Places without active governments, are not included.

With this new approach, the lists are more inclusive, recognizing different communities where people actually live across the nation and across the four lists, we can see more geographic diversity throughout.

AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities

Several of the top scoring communities in the AARP Livability Index have made a commitment to becoming more livable over time and joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC). The program encourages states, cities, towns and rural areas to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults.

Learn more about joining the network!

The Top 100 Communities

CommunityOverall Livability ScorePopulationNew Top PerformerNAFSC Member
1. San Francisco, CA
City
2023 average city score50102023 lowest city score802023 highestcity score010066
874,784
2. Ramsey County, MN
County
64546,598
3. Dane County, WI
County
64542,459
4. Portland, OR
City
63650,380
5. Seattle, WA
City
63741,251
6. Hennepin County, MN
County
621,255,296
7. Boston, MA
City
62689,326
8. Multnomah County, OR
County
62809,869
9. Salt Lake County, UT
County
621,146,215
10. Montgomery County, MD
County
611,047,661
11. New York, NY
City
618,379,552
12. Nassau County, NY
County
611,355,683
13. Hempstead, NY
County Subdivision
61766,765
14. Fairfax County, VA
County
611,149,439
15. Washington County, OR
County
61595,761
16. Denver, CO
City
59715,878
17. Alameda County, CA
County
591,661,584
18. Austin, TX
City
59965,872
19. Union County, NJ
County
59555,208
20. Johnson County, KS
County
59597,574
21. Wake County, NC
County
581,091,662
22. San Jose, CA
City
581,029,409
23. Philadelphia, PA
City
581,581,531
24. San Mateo County, CA
County
58765,623
25. Allegheny County, PA
County
581,218,380