We love the Ann Arbor region and can speak endlessly about all the great reasons to live, work, and play here. You don’t have to take our word for it, though. We’ve been collecting rankings for more than a decade!

2024

  • U.S. Cities with Best Quality of Life, #1 Ann Arbor, U.S. News and World Report
  • Most Educated City in America, #1 Ann Arbor, WalletHub
  • Most Peaceful Places to Live in the U.S., #3 Ann Arbor, Insider Monkey
  • Midwest Startup City Rankings, #7 Ann Arbor, Midwest Startups (M25)
  • Top Universities by Startups Founded by Undergrads, #8 University of Michigan, Pitchbook
  • Best City to Live in the U.S., #9 Ann Arbor, Niche

2023

2022

  • 25 Best Places to Live for Families, #1 Ann Arbor, Fortune.com
  • Best Places to Live in Michigan, #1 Ann Arbor, U.S. News & World Report
  • Best Places to Live in the U.S., #2 Ann Arbor, Livability.com
  • Most Educated Cities in America, #1 Ann Arbor, WalletHub.com
  • Best Entrepreneurship Program, University of Michigan, Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine
    • #1 Undergraduate Program — Midwest
    • #2 Graduate Program — Globally
    • #5 Undergraduate Program — Globally
  • The 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S., #8 Money.com
  • Best Cities to Live in America, #6 Ann Arbor, Niche.com
  • The Best U.S. Cities for Remote Workers, #3 Ann Arbor, Teamwork.com
  • The Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value, #1 the University of Michigan, Money.com
  • 2022 Cities with the Best Public Schools in America, #4 Ann Arbor, Niche.com
  • Top Public Universities in America, #1 University of Michigan, Niche.com
  • Best Cities to Raise a Family, #6, Ann Arbor, Niche.com

2021

  • 2021’s Best Places to Live, #2 Ann Arbor, Livability.com
  • 2021’s Best College Towns & Cities in America, #1 Ann Arbor, WalletHub.com
  • The 10 Best Places to Live if You Work From Home, #4 Ann Arbor, Money.com
  • 2021 Best Cities to Live in America, #6 Ann Arbor, Niche.com
  • University of Michigan, U.S. News
    • #3 Business Programs
    • #6 Best Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programs
  • 2021 Cities with the Best Public Schools in America – #4 Ann Arbor, Niche.com

2020

  • 2020’s Top Places to Live, #2 Ann Arbor, Livability.com
  • America’s Best Small Cities, Ann Arbor #10, Best Cities
    “One of the smartest small cities in the country is a bastion of employment security and safety.”
  • Up-and-Coming Small Cities Close to Major Metros, Ann Arbor #2, Livability
  • The University of Michigan ranks as the top U.S. public university, QS World Rankings
  • University of Michigan Graduate Programs Maintain top-15 rankings in the six areas, in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 edition of Best Graduate Schools. The College of Engineering ranked fourth.
    • The School of Nursing master’s program ranked ninth, and its Doctor of Nursing Practice program ranked No. 13.
    • The Law School ranked ninth.
    • The Stephen M. Ross School of Business ranked No. 12.
    • The School of Education ranked eighth.
    • The Medical School’s research program ranked No. 15, and its primary-care program ranked fifth.

2019

  • Top New U.S. Tech Hubs (“Brain” Index), #3 Ann Arbor, Bloomberg
  • Top 5 Car-Free Small Metros, #1 Ann Arbor, CityLab
  • The Most Innovative Metro Areas in the U.S., #9 Ann Arbor, Verizon
  • Top cities for female founders raising their first round, #1 Ann Arbor, VentureBeat / Center for American Entrepreneurship
  • Top 25 Best Undergrad Programs for Entrepreneurs in 2019, #1 University of Michigan, Entrepreneur.com
  • The 25 Happiest Cities in America, #16 Ann Arbor, Forbes

2018

  • The 25 most innovative cities in the U.S. share an affinity for technology, #6 Ann Arbor, USA Today
  • Highest concentration of autonomous vehicle-related jobs, #2 Ann Arbor, Axios/ZipRecruiter
  • 25 most innovative cities in the U.S. share an affinity for technology, #6 Ann Arbor, USAToday.com
  • 30 Best Cities to Retire, #4 Ann Arbor, USAToday.com
  • Top 100 Best Places To Live, #1 Ann Arbor, Livability.com

2017

2016

2015

  • Best States in the County, #1 Michigan, Thrillist
  • 10 Cities That Are Secretly Great for Tech Grads, #6 Ann Arbor
  • Small American Cities of the Future, Human Capital, #1 Ann Arbor,fDi Magazine
  • Small American Cities of the Future, Overall, #10 Ann Arbor, fDi Magazine
  • #1 Most educated city WalletHub.com
  • University of Michigan Top 10 Graduate Programs US News & World Report
  • #1 City for Millennials American Institute of Economic Research
  • #3 City for IT Talent CareerBuilder
  • Top 25 Graduate Entrepreneurship Programs, #2 Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, The Princeton Review & Entrepreneur Magazine

2014

  • Most Educated Cities, #1 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • The 10 Best Midsize Cities to Raise Children, #3 Ann Arbor, MyLife.com
  • The 10 Most Intelligent Towns College Towns in America, #1 Ann Arbor, Zoomtens
  • Best Cities for New College Grads 2014, #7 Ann Arbor, Livability
  • Best Cities for Well-Being, #6 Ann Arbor, USA Today, and Gallup
  • Times Higher Education World Rankings, #17 University of Michigan, Times Higher Education
  • Top 25 Ranked Business and Economics Programs with the Best Return on Investment, University of Michigan, Best Value Schools
  • America’s Best Main Streets, South Main Street, Ann Arbor, Huffington Post & Fodor’s Travel

2013

  • Most Walkable Cities, #4 Ann Arbor, Governing
  • America’s Top 25 High-Tech Hotspots, #18 Ann Arbor, Richard Florida, The Atlantic Cities
  • Best Places for Business and Careers in 2013, Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • Top Public Colleges, #5 University of Michigan, Forbes
  • Top 20 Metro Areas for Venture Capital, #11 Ann Arbor, The Fiscal Times
  • America’s Most Luxurious Layovers, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, CNN Travel
  • Smartest Cities in America, #15 Ann Arbor, Business Insider
  • Top 50 Cities Leading the Economic Recovery, #44 Ann Arbor, Area Development Magazine
  • 10 Best Cities for Young Adults, #2 Ann Arbor, Kiplinger
  • 10 Coolest Cities in the Midwest, Ann Arbor, MSN Travel
  • Best Cities for New Grads, Ann Arbor #2, Kiplinger

2012

  • Most Fun Public Golf Courses in America, #38 The University of Michigan Golf Course Golf Digest, September issue
  • America’s Best Small Cities, Ann Arbor, Money Magazine
  • Best Cities for Successful Aging, #7 Ann Arbor, Milken Institute
  • Most Creative Cities, #4 Ann Arbor, The Daily Beast
  • America’s Best Hospitals, #17 University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, US News and World Report
  • Most E-Literate Cities in the America, #2 Ann Arbor, The Atlantic
  • Best State to Make a Living in, #6 Michigan, MoneyRates.com
  • Happiest Cities in America, #5 Ann Arbor, The Daily Beast

2011

  • America’s 20 Geekiest Cities, #16 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • 10 Most Educated Cities, #2 Ann Arbor, US News and World Report
  • Most Well-Read Cities in America, #4 Ann Arbor, Amazon
  • America’s Best Hospitals, #14 U-M Hospitals and Medical Center, U.S. News and World Report
  • World’s Best Universities, #18 University of Michigan, Higher Times Education
  • 10 Most Affordable Places to Live, #6 Ann Arbor, MSN Real Estate
  • 25 Smartest College Towns in the US, #4 Ann Arbor, Daily Beast

2010

  • Best College Sports Town, #1 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • 5 Great Places to Retire, #5 Ann Arbor, Fortune
  • Most Educated Cities in the US, #2 Ann Arbor, American Community Survey
  • 20 Most Innovative Cities in the Nation (and Canada), #12 Ann Arbor, 2ThinkNow
  • 75 Best College Towns and Cities, #2 Ann Arbor, American Institute for Economic Research
  • 10 Great Cities for Raising Families, #2 Ann Arbor, Kiplinger
  • Best Places for Recent College Grads, #3 Ann Arbor, Forbes.com
  • Wall Street Journal Recruiters Survey, University of Michigan BBA: #1 for business, #1 for finance,#3 for computer science
  • America’s Most Livable Cities, #4 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • Best Cities for Families, #4 Ann Arbor, Parenting Magazine
  • America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities, #14 Ann Arbor, Bicycling Magazine
  • Best Places for Business and Careers, #83 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • 100 Top Hospitals National Benchmarks Study, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Thomson Reuters
  • Smartest College Towns, #2 Ann Arbor, Daily Beast Media Gallery

2009

  • America’s Best Hospitals, #13 University of Michigan Hospitals and Medical Center, US News and World Report
  • Great Schools, Huron High: Best High School in Michigan, Business Week
  • Best Colleges: Region by Region, Eastern Michigan University one of the Best in the Midwest, Princeton Review
  • Top College Sports Towns, #1 Ann Arbor, Forbes Magazine
  • Ann Arbor: Silver ranking for bicycle-friendly community, League of American Bicyclists
  • America’s Star Libraries, Ann Arbor Public Library 5-star (highest rank), Library Journal

2008

  • World University Rankings, #18 University of Michigan, highest-ranked US public university
  • Best Green Places, Ann Arbor #11, Country Home Magazine
  • Healthiest Hometowns, #1 Ann Arbor, AARP Magazine
  • Solar America Cities, Ann Arbor, US Department of Energy
  • Brainiest Places to Retire, #1 Ann Arbor, US News and World Report
  • 100 Best Places to Live and Launch a Business, #42 Ann Arbor, CNN/Money
  • America’s Best Colleges 2008, U-M #25 Top National Universities and #4 Top Public National Universities, US News and World Report
  • Best Walking Cities, #3 Ann Arbor, Prevention Magazine
  • 21 Best Cycling Cities in the US, #3 Ann Arbor, Bicycling Magazine

2007

  • Educational Quotient Gold Star, Ann Arbor Public Schools, Expansion Management Magazine
  • Fast Cities Cities on the Verge, Ann Arbor is Start-up Hub, Fast Company Magazine
  • Best Places to Live, #5 Ann Arbor, Sperling’s
  • Greenest Places in America, #11 Ann Arbor, Country Home Magazine
  • America’s Best Colleges UM: #24 Top National Universities; #4 Public University, US News and World Report
  • America’s Best Hospitals, #14 University Michigan Hospital, US News and World Report
  • Digital County, #6 Washtenaw County, National Association of Counties
  • Smaller City for Venture Capital Deals, #4 Ann Arbor, Site Selection Magazine
  • Top 10 University for Nanotechnology, #3 University of Michigan, SmallTimes Media
  • Cities Ranked & Rated, #5 Ann Arbor, Frommer’s
  • Best Places to Live in the US, #5 Ann Arbor (up from #6 in 2006), Sperling’s BestPlaces
  • Best Green Places to Live in America, #11 Ann Arbor, Country Home Magazine
  • Top 10 Knowledge Worker Metros, #1 Ann Arbor, Expansion Management Magazine
  • Top Metros for College-Educated Workers, #10 Ann Arbor, Expansion Management Magazine
  • Best Hospitals, University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital: #1 state hospital and #13 nationwide, Child Magazine
  • Best Places to Live, #59 Saline, com

2006

  • Top 10 Brainiest Small Cities, #1 Ann Arbor, Bizjournals
  • 10 Smartest Cities in the US, #3 Ann Arbor, Forbes
  • America’s Top Restaurants, Zingerman’s Delicatessen and Common Grill, Zagat
  • Top 100 Global Universities, #11 University of Michigan, Newsweek
  • Top 100 Places to Live, #25 Ann Arbor, Money Magazine
  • Best Places for Singles, #15 Ann Arbor, Money Magazine
  • Stephen M. Ross School of Business: #1 North America, Wall Street Journal. The Ross School is one of only two business schools to be ranked in the top four every year since the Wall Street Journal began its rankings in 2001.
  • Best Cycling Cities (population 75,000 – 200,000), #3 Ann Arbor, Bicycling Magazine
  • Grammy Signature School, Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School, GRAMMY Foundation

Why Ann Arbor