Building a More Meaningful 'Best Cities' List

While we're sure the ever-popular "Best City" lists serve some nebulous purpose, a new metric seeks to identify and evaluate America's metro areas by a more comprehensive understanding of how well they're achieving "complete communities."

1 minute read

October 2, 2012, 2:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


This may not be the be-all and end-all of best city lists, but a new study out this week from the nonprofit Reconnecting America, seeks a more comprehensive method of evaluating and comparing America's metro areas in terms of their progress toward "more equitable, affordable, sustainable, and walkable communities," writes Richard Florida. 

So what are "complete communities"? According to the report, "Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America," the elements that "support economic opportunity and health for all people," include: "a quality education, access to good jobs, an
affordable roof over our heads, access to affordable healthy food and
health services, the ability to enjoy artistic, spiritual and cultural
amenities, access to recreation and parks, meaningful civic engagement,
and affordable transportation choices that get us where we need to go."

Complete communities, they write, are "places where people can live, work,
move, and thrive in a healthier, more equitable, and more economically
competitive way."

So, let's get to the good stuff. What are America's most complete communities? Of the metro areas with more than 3 million people, New York and San Francisco lead the pack. Of the metros under this size, Honolulu, San Jose, Denver, Portland, Oregon; Trenton-Ewing, New Jersey;
Lincoln, Nebraska; Missoula, Montana; and Spokane, Washington all fared well. 

Monday, October 1, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight