Where in the Charlotte area is the best place to live?

CHARLOTTE — Each year, ranking and review site Niche.com provides a breakdown of the best places to live across the U.S., including the Charlotte metro. It weighs factors such as quality of public schools, crime rates, cost of living, job opportunities and access to local amenities.

For 2022, it ranked Fourth Ward as the top place to live locally, followed by Dilworth, Ballantyne East, Ballantyne West and the suburb of Davidson.

The “Best Places to Live” rankings are designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of an area’s overall livability. There are 15 factors taken into account, with the most weight assigned to cost of living and higher education — at 12.5% each.

Most of the statistics used for the rankings come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Other data sources include the Department of Education, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as reviews and survey responses from Niche users. In instances where the FBI data is not readily available, no grade is assigned in the crime and safety category.

A total of 52 places in the Charlotte metro received the highest grade of an A+ in Niche’s ranking. That list includes Charlotte neighborhoods as well as cities, towns and suburbs across the metro area.

Check out the top 20 — and their best and worst grades — here --> bit.ly/3xGCAHF

(WATCH BELOW: Charlotte leaders approve $12.4 million to go toward affordable housing developments)

Charlotte leaders approve $12.4 million to go toward affordable housing developments

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