West Hartford is the only town in Connecticut included in U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best Places to Live’ for 2025-2026.

By Ronni Newton

U.S. News & World Report released its list of the best 250 places to live in the U.S. in 2025-2026 on Tuesday, and West Hartford was not only ranked No. 19 nationally, but was the only Connecticut town among the top 250.

A total of 859 towns were reviewed for the 2025-2026 rankings – up from 150 towns that were previously reviewed.

West Hartford received an overall score of 6.8, according to the rankings, which a U.S. News press release stated “were determined based on a methodology that takes into account the city’s job market, value, quality of life and desirability.”

Mayor Shari Cantor told We-Ha.com after hearing the news Tuesday that receiving this latest accolade was “amazing.”

“It really is a tremendous honor for West Hartford to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best places to live in the United States,” she said. “Being ranked 19th in the country is a testament to the strong sense of community, exceptional schools, vibrant local economy, and the commitment of our residents, businesses, and town employees to making West Hartford a welcoming and thriving place for all. We are proud to be a town that balances tradition with innovation, and we will continue working together to build an even stronger, more inclusive future for everyone who calls West Hartford home.”

Town Manager Rick Ledwith was also thrilled when he learned the news on Tuesday.

“We are incredibly proud that West Hartford has been recognized as the 19th best place to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report,” he told We-Ha.com.

“This national ranking reflects the strong sense of community, high quality of life, excellent schools and outstanding town services that make our Town so special. Over the next several weeks, we’ll see those qualities on full display as we come together for cherished events like the Memorial Day Parade, Celebrate! West Hartford, our Juneteenth CommUNITY Day and the Pride Rally. These gatherings not only bring us together but also showcase the spirit, diversity, and vibrancy that set West Hartford apart,” Ledwith said.

Johns Creek, Georgia, which earned an overall score of 7.0, topped the 2025-2026 list, according to Tuesday’s news release announcing the rankings. The town of just under 79,000, a suburb located northeast of Atlanta, has a “strong job market and desirability scores,” according to the release.

The measures used in the rankings were determined following a public survey conducted in February 2025, with input from thousands of people across the country who shared the qualities they consider of key importance in determining where to live. U.S. News noted that data from their own internal resources, along with “Applied Geographic Solutions, and U.S. government agencies including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” was used.

The measures, which are weighted for the final scoring, include the following indices:

• Quality of life – education, availability of health care, air quality, and environmental risk
• Value – housing affordability and cost of living
• Desirability – crime rate, weather temperateness, culture and leisure, and commute
• Job market – unemployment and median household income
• Net migration – attracting new residents

There were no other Northeast towns among the top 20, which included seven towns in Texas, and two in North Carolina. In Connecticut, Stamford was the next-highest ranked after West Hartford, at No. 2 in the state but ranked No. 440 overall, followed by Norwalk at No. 445, Norwich at No. 583, and Danbury at No. 603. Greenwich was ranked No. 605 nationally.

The full U.S. News & World Report rankings “250 Best Places to Live in 2025-2026” can be found here.

“The expansion of the 2025-2026 Best Places to Live rankings gives consumers a more detailed view into what it’s like to live somewhere at the community level, enabling them to consider more options for potential places to settle down,” Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said in a statement. “While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans – and has the heaviest weight in determining the Best Places to Live rankings – U.S. News slightly adjusted its weights to increase priority for a location’s job market amid heightened economic uncertainty,” she added.

In March, West Hartford received the top ranking in Connecticut by Niche.com for the eighth straight year. West Hartford has also recently been recognized as a top place to live among Zillow surfers, and in 2023 was the only Connecticut town in Livability’s top 25 places to live in the Northeast.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.