Cedar Rapids Named No. 33 in Top 100 Best Places to Live in the Nation

Livability.com ranking highlights affordability, opportunity and quality of life in Cedar Rapids.

The City of Cedar Rapids has been named No. 33 in the nation on the 2026 Top 100 Best Places to Live list released by Livability.com, recognizing the community's strong balance of affordability, economic opportunity and quality of life.

Now in its 13th year, Livability's annual ranking evaluates more than 2,000 U.S. cities against nearly 100 data points across eight categories:

• Economy
• Housing & Cost of Living
• Amenities
• Transportation
• Environment
• Safety
• Education
• Health

Data-Driven Recognition

Livability partners with Applied Geographic Solutions to analyze national datasets and produce a "LivScore" for each city. The result is a data-driven list designed to help individuals and families find communities that align with their priorities.

Cedar Rapids ranked particularly high in housing, affordability, transportation, and safety - key factors in its overall LivScore. The City continues to invest in infrastructure, economic development and quality-of-life amenities that support residents and attract new talent.

View Cedar Rapids' LivScore

See City's Other National Rankings

About Livability.com
Livability.com highlights the best small to mid-sized cities and what makes them great places to live, work and visit. Through exclusive research and original content, we examine affordability, cultural amenities, talent attraction and more, celebrating the accomplishments of cities through various rankings, our annual Top 100 Best Places to Live and articles exploring the who, what, why and how behind the "where." Livability is a division of Journal Communications, Inc., based in Franklin, TN.

About the City of Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids is a vibrant urban hometown - a beacon for people and businesses invested in building a greater community now and for the next generation. Cedar Rapids offers a unique balance of big-city amenities without all the typical hassles and headaches that come with a large city. This extra time afforded to our residents and visitors is why Cedar Rapids is known as "The City of Five Seasons." The fifth season affords us time to enjoy all other seasons and to enjoy life. In Cedar Rapids, we say, "Welcome is Our Language." To us, "Welcome" is more than a word; it's an invitation to play an important role in the community we have been building for more than 175 years. Learn more at CityofCR.com/Welcome