BY VEENA RAO
Atlanta, GA, August 5, 2023: Johns Creek, Georgia, a city that has a significant Indian American population, has topped Livability Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. list with a score of 877.
This is the travel magazine’s 10th year compiling data to create its annual list.
This year, Livability partnered with Applied Geographic Solutions (AGS) to select its top 100 best places to live in the country. The cities were curated based on nearly 100 data points and an algorithm taking into account measures of a city’s economy, housing and cost of living, amenities, transportation, environment, safety, education, and health.
“With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools and a thriving health care economy, Johns Creek, GA, earns its title as one of the best places to live in the U.S.,” the magazine says of the city. “Residents in Johns Creek can live the good life with all the big-city perks that come with being close to a major metro and the tight-knit community lifestyle a smaller city affords.
“The Atlanta suburb boasts one of the largest concentrations of health care companies in the region, which provide top-notch medical care and good-paying jobs to locals. More than 450 health care and social services companies are established in Johns Creek, and Boston Scientific picked the city for its new state-of-the-art research facility featuring an 8,000-square-foot pathology lab — an investment that’s projected to bring an additional 340 jobs to Fulton County in the coming years.”
Another thing that makes Johns Creek so special, according to Livability, is that the 80,000-plus residents who call the area home enjoy a tight-knit, inclusive community. The city prioritizes adaptive recreation programs; hosts celebrations to honor Lunar New Year, Juneteenth and Diwali; and has an International Festival that recognizes the city’s diverse residents. Also, the Johns Creek Veterans Memorial Walk, within Newtown Park, holds monuments to honor veterans and is a community space where visitors can pay their respects.
Additionally, the city’s natural beauty sets it apart, the magazine says. Johns Creek has several parks and natural areas, including the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Newtown Park. These areas offer residents plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking and fishing.
Johns Creek is a dog-friendly place to live, too. In fact, the Newtown Dream Dog Park is one of the best in the country, outfitted with sprinklers, a spraying hydrant, hoops, tunnels and more. Let’s just say there’s a whole lot of dog-gone fun to have here!
Johns Creek has a median home value of $453,747 and a population of 82,493.
Johns Creek Councilman Bob Erramilli credited all the folks and leaders who came before him for making the city one of the best in the country to live in.
“This is to all Johns Creek folks, and the
leaders who are serving and went before us. Yet another source has reaffirmed
our place as the pre-eminent city of the entire. USA,” he said.
“We run with big dogs, we have to up our
game. Thank you, neighbors,” he added.
Livability says it loves small and mid-sized cities — “the crowd-pleasing, best places to live that leave you with money left over after paying your rent or mortgage.”
The magazine only considers cities with a population between 75,000 and 500,000 — not large metros.
“Our list of the Best Places To Live in the U.S. recognizes the unsung (or at least, less-sung) awesomeness of the many places outside of our largest metros — the cities where most Americans create dream careers, build families, launch businesses and lead meaningful lives,” the magazine says
“Where are the best cities in America to create a life you love, even if you’re an average earner? Our list’s second big differentiator is affordability. We take it seriously: Only cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less have a shot at making our best places list. As home prices hit historical highs and inflation continues to rise, we laud the cities that are growing wages and home values while maintaining an affordable cost of living, including reasonable rent and home prices relative to local income.”
Roswell, Georgia also made it to the list at the 11th spot with a score of 832. The median home value in the city is $407,034 and it has a population of 92,536.
Check out the complete list here.