Where are America’s best suburbs?

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Want to move to a different place but don’t know where to start? Understandable. The United States is a big place, and there’s a lot to choose from.

Cities offer a lot of benefits – easier access to jobs, reliable public transportation, and bustling downtown cores filled with culture, entertainment and amenities.But maybe the busy city lifestyle and high costs of living that come with it just aren’t your thing. If that’s the case, you might want to consider looking at suburbs.

Suburbs generally offer quieter lifestyles – lower crime rates, more affordable housing and family-friendly neighbourhoods within driving distance from big cities. Suburbs offer many of the same benefits as busier urban areas, but with a little more green-space and separation from all the hustle and bustle.

A study by Smartasset took a closer look at suburbs located within 15 minutes to an hour outside of 87 major cities and ranked them based on livability, affordability and jobs.

The best suburbs are in the Midwest

Known as “America’s Heartland,” the Midwest doesn’t just have rolling plains and the Great Lakes – it also has great suburbs.

Suburbs in the Midwest ranked high across all categories and dominated the top 50 list – with Brownsburg, Indiana ranking the highest out of all surveyed areas.

Located approximately 17 miles northwest from Indianapolis, Brownsburg is home to approximately 26,000 people. On average, people who live in Brownsburg spend only 16.24% of their income on housing. The town ranked at the very top for livability and jobs – and rightly so. Brownsburg’s five-year income growth is at nearly 36%, and jobs are increasing by 29% every ten years.

Affordability lies South

If housing prices in your area are making you nervous, look South. Compared to other areas across the country, Southern suburbs offer more affordability and a better working environment.

Out of 209 Southern suburbs, 17 of them ranked in Smartasset’s top 50. Many performed notably well in the jobs category – meaning residents are seeing income growth, increased job diversity and a lower unemployment rate.

Hebron, Kentucky – just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio ranked highest in the region and second-highest in the overall study with a jobs score of 82.57 out of 100, an affordability score of 86.51 and a livability score of 92.93.

Although Hebron placed second overall, the town still out-ranks Brownsburg for affordability by 13 points, making it a great option for prospective buyers on a budget.

Texas is the largest state in the region, and its suburbs shone through in the study.

Hondo, just outside of San Antonio ranked 32^nd overall, with a jobs score of 72.02, an affordability score of 90.48 and a livability score of 47.84. Ennis near Dallas and Sealy near Houston ranked as Texas’ second and third best suburbs respectively.

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The Northeast is a mixed bag

The Northeast is the smallest region in the nation, and only 30 of its suburbs met the criteria for the study. The results ranged from the best to the worst, with some suburbs making the top 50 and others ranking at the very bottom of the study.

So, before you break out your “I love NY” t-shirts and start re-watching Seinfeld, it’s worth noting that New York City has the lowest-ranking suburbs overall. Smartasset found six suburbs within an hour from the city, all of which ranked in the bottom half of the study.

If your heart is still set on the Big Apple, your best bet would be Edgewater, New Jersey. Less than an hour outside of the city, this suburb ranks 30^th-best for its median household income and has relatively low crime rates.

While New York’s performance in the study painted a bit of a dreary picture, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are a completely different story.

Out of five suburbs close to Philadelphia, two of them were in the top 44% of the entire study. Both showed high rates of job growth and high-ranking median household incomes.

Pittsburgh suburbs showed low living costs and home value-to-income ratios. Located just 10 minutes from the city, Duquesne was he top-ranking Northeastern suburb. With a population of only 5,500 people, this area saw a 78.32% income growth over five years. Houses in Duquesne cost roughly 1.28 times the median income.

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Western suburbs show high income and livability rates

The West is home to some of the most popular American landmarks. Hollywood, Seattle and The Grand Canyon attract thousands of tourists annually – but is the West really a good place to live?

Western suburbs made up a large portion of the study, but only one of them ranked in the top 50 – and it’s in sunny Arizona.

Vail, Arizona ranked 35^th across the entire study. Closest to Tucson, the suburb ranked well across all categories with a jobs score of 72.16 out of 100, 68.25 in affordability and 69.44 in livability.

While the West might not have done as well as you’d expect across the board, the most notable information that came from the study has to do with the West’s income rates.

More than a third of the suburbs in the West have a median household income higher than $100,000 – most of which were in California. On average, incomes in the West increased by 23.12% over the last five years.

Here are the top three highest-earning suburbs in the West.

Tiburon, California – $178,125
Palo Alto, California – $174,003
Malibu, California – $162,716

While California dominates the charts for wealth, Hawaii scored higher for livability. Three of six Hawaii suburbs ranked in the study’s top 50 for livability – including Kailua, Kaneohe and Pearl City. These three suburbs have high concentrations of dining and entertainment, and even lower violent crime rates.