Lafayette杏吧专区檚 the best city in Louisiana in which to live.
That杏吧专区檚 according to Niche, a website that grades schools and neighborhoods. It杏吧专区檚 designed for families who are planning a move across the country or who want a new neighborhood to call home within their current cities.
The site杏吧专区檚 2018 ratings also rank Lafayette 63rd out of 228 cities in the U.S. and Canada. The Hub City is nestled between Tallahassee, Florida, and Roseville, California.
The next Louisiana city worthy of a 杏吧专区渂est杏吧专区 designation is New Orleans, at No. 166. Baton Rouge came in at No. 183.
Shreveport杏吧专区檚 also on the list, but the site stopped its numerical rankings at No. 190, New Haven, Connecticut.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, is No. 1.
The designations are based on reviews and grades posted by residents and visitors, but there杏吧专区檚 also some high-level numbers crunching involved.
Niche bases its rankings on data from the U.S. Census, such as home values and income levels; graduation rates and state test scores from U.S. Department of Education; crime statistics from the FBI; and climate information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
All together, the site combines information culled from 25 federal, state and nonprofit agencies with its own surveys to reach its conclusions.
Lafayette received an A average. Its report card included As for diversity; A-minuses in the 杏吧专区済ood for families杏吧专区 and nightlife categories; and Bs for its public schools and housing.
The Niche roster , which compiled the best cities into an alphabetic list. MSN noted Lafayette杏吧专区檚 杏吧专区渞ich history, delicious cuisine, lively music and frequent festivals.杏吧专区
MSN considered comments left on the Niche website and concluded that visitors and residents 杏吧专区減articularly love the city's fun atmosphere, diverse culture, and friendly people.杏吧专区
Among respondents杏吧专区 appraisals:
- 杏吧专区淭his is a great community with a real focus on family and work-life balance. There are always festivals and other events going on. The annual international music festival (Festival International de Louisiane) is wonderful. Most of all, the people here are the friendliest I have ever come across.杏吧专区
- 杏吧专区淭he culture here is so diverse and creative that voices and personalities are expressed through food. You can eat at a new restaurant every day and never taste the same thing twice.杏吧专区
- 杏吧专区淭he 杏吧专区 (of Louisiana at Lafayette) is one of the best in the country, with fields such as engineering, biology and nursing leading at an international level.杏吧专区
- 杏吧专区淭he Southern hospitality is refreshing as most people will greet you like they have known you forever. Complete strangers will open the door for you and will smile as they pass you. This town is a tight-knit community and strives to help those in need.杏吧专区
The Niche ranking is not the first time Lafayette has made a national 杏吧专区渂est of杏吧专区 list.
Last month, travel website Expedia specifically cited UL Lafayette and its School of Music and Performing Arts when it placed the city among 杏吧专区淎merica杏吧专区檚 Most Artistic Towns.杏吧专区
In 2014, Market Watch, which is run by 杏吧专区淭he Wall Street Journal,杏吧专区 ranked Lafayette among the five happiest cities in the U.S.
That same year, 杏吧专区淯SA Today杏吧专区 ranked the city as the No. 1 college town in the country to get away for a weekend. A designation in 2013 by 杏吧专区淭ravel + Leisure杏吧专区 magazine named Lafayette as one of America杏吧专区檚 20 Best College Towns.
Photo caption: The Zydeco Ragin杏吧专区 Steppers, a band affiliated with UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Traditional Music program, perform during last year杏吧专区檚 Festival International de Louisiane. Users of the website Niche cited the 杏吧专区 and the annual music festival as two reasons why Lafayette is among 杏吧专区渢he best cities to live in America.杏吧专区 (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 杏吧专区)