On Bloomberg’s Business Week’s list of America’s 50 best cities released this week, Arlington, Va., was ranked No. 2, behind only Raleigh, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia ranked No. 6.
The top 50 cities were ranked based on a number of criteria, including college degrees, household incomes, crime rates, parks, bars, restaurants and museums. “Home to numerous headquarters of companies and government agencies, this Washington, D.C., suburb is a draw in its own right,” Bloomberg says of Arlington. Arlington is highly educated, with more than two-thirds of the population holding college degrees. It also has the lowest unemployment rate of any city on the list. Arlington also scored high for its median household income of nearly $94,000 and low foreclosure rates.
D.C. won praise for its culture. “The nation’s capital doubles as a pretty cool city,” Bloomberg says. “There are great bars, endless restaurants for hobnobbing, and some of the best museums on the planet.” It says despite high crime and poverty rates, the District is in demand, with good schools and the lowest foreclosure rate on the list.
