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Four Area Cities on U.S. News ‘Best in Pennsylvania’ List
Bigger doesn’t mean better. Several Pennsylvania cities, among the 859 places on the 2025-’26 list of “Best Places to Live in the U.S.,” ranked higher than New York City (above). The Big Apple ranked nationally at No. 797.

Four Area Cities on U.S. News ‘Best in Pennsylvania’ List

WASHINGTON DC – Sixteen locations are being cited by U.S. News & World Report on its list of “2025-2026 Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania,” and four area cities – Lancaster, Allentown, Philadelphia, and Reading – made the cut.

However, none of them were named to the publication’s premier list of the year’s 250 “Best Places to Live in the U.S.” Both lists are available now online.

Ranked in Pennsylvania and the Nation

Lancaster came in at No. 10 on the state list, and No. 708 of 859 nationally, with an overall score of 4.7 on a scale of 10. The list praised Lancaster’s “balance between picturesque landscapes and a bustling business district that residents appreciate.”

Allentown ranked at No. 12 (No. 783 nationally), scoring 4.4. Its “charm” enticed those who did the ranking, based on “its vast collection of historic homes and buildings, commercial structures and century-old industrial buildings.” Many have been renovated, modernized and reborn as apartments and lofts, U.S. News & World Report observes.

Philadelphia “offers a unique setting for an eclectic mix of modern lifestyles, mingling both the edgy and the sophisticated,” according to details on the state list. It ranked as No. 13 in the state (No. 810 nationally), with a score of 4.3.

Reading arrived at No. 15 in PA, and No. 835 nationally, with a 4.0 score. The city’s attraction, the ranking states, is its “history … steeped in innovation.” It also notes the “cost of living in Reading is well below that of many other East Coast cities, thanks in large part to affordable housing costs.”

Also ranked on the state list were Pittsburgh (No. 1), Altoona (2), Erie (3), Williamsport (4), Bethlehem (5), Chambersburg (6), Johnstown (7), Lebanon (8), Scranton (9), State College, (11), Harrisburg (14), and York (16).

The National Winner? Its in Georgia

Leading the U.S. News & World Report national list this year as Best Place to Live in the U.S. is Johns Creek GA, with an overall score of 7.0.

The rankings are based on a variety of weighted factors. This year the ranking system increased “priority for a location’s job market amid heightened economic uncertainty,” a media release noted. The lists are part of the U.S. News real estate division, so with each listing readers also find the promoted names of real estate agents and brokers.

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