Rochester Hills lands in top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s best places to live

ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Hills is one the best places to live in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report.

“This recognition is a testament to the strong sense of community, outstanding quality of life, and commitment to excellence that define Rochester Hills,” Mayor Bryan Barnett said in an email. “We are incredibly proud to be honored as one of the preeminent places in the nation to live, work, and raise a family.”

This year, U.S. News & World Report evaluated more than 850 cities and published the top 250 places to live. Analysts asked 3,000 people across the country what mattered most to them when determining where to live, and they used those factors — value, desirability, job market and quality of life — to make the list. The data is weighted based on what people think is most important. The 2025-2026 rankings also include U.S. News & World Report’s Best States data on economy and infrastructure.

Erika Giovanetti, a consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said 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.”

“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,” Giovanetti said in a statement.

Overall, nine Michigan communities made the list, including two Oakland County communities that were ranked among the 10 best.

Rochester Hills was ranked as the ninth best place to live in the U.S., outperforming in quality of life factors.

According to the rankings, “Rochester Hills outperforms in quality of life, led by its position as the No. 22 city for college readiness. Rochester Hills is the fifth-safest city in our rankings, per our crime index, which is paramount to its high spot on our rankings.”

Around 75,425 people live in Rochester Hills, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Of that population, 23% are under age 20, 11% are 25-34 years old, 14% are 35-44, 26% are 45-65, and about 20% are over age 65.

According to the report, Rochester Hills “offers a better value than similarly sized cities when you compare housing costs to median household income.” The median home value in Rochester Hills is $377,213, compared to the national average of $370,489, while the median household income in Rochester Hills is $116,432, compared with the national average of $79,466. The job market in Rochester Hills is better than the national average, while unemployment in Rochester Hills is lower than the national average of 4.5%.

Barnett said the city plans to celebrate this accomplishment throughout the year and at a variety of community events.

Other ranked Michigan cities include: Troy at No. 10; Midland at No. 32; Novi at No. 34; Livonia at No. 88; Sterling Heights at No. 196; Wyoming at No. 197; and Traverse City at No. 250.

Others in the top 10 include: Johns Creek, Georgia, at No. 1; Carmel, Indiana, at No. 2; Pearland, Texas, at No. 3; Fishers, Indiana, at No. 4; Cary, North Carolina, at No. 5; League City, Texas, at No. 6; Apex, North Carolina, No. 7; and Leander, Texas, at No. 8.

The 859 cities analyzed for the 2025-2026 reveal were then ranked within state-specific rankings.

At the statewide level, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rochester Hills as the best place to live in Michigan.

“This year’s release celebrates the top 250 places that meet consumer needs best, but also offers the ability to view top-ranked cities in states of their choice,” Giovanetti said in a statement.

For more information about the U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit www.usnews.com.