(NEXSTAR) – U.S. News & World report has released its ranking of the 250 best places to live in the United States for 2026-2027, and most of the top cities are far from the coasts.

The study’s authors looked at affordability, desirability, job market and quality of life to determine the winner, which was the suburban city of Carmel, Indiana.

Carmel was followed by its neighbor – Fishers, Indiana – which was a first for the annual report. Both cities got top marks as places that “offer residents a good quality of life without breaking the bank,” Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report, said in a statement.

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Indeed, high-priced coastal cities like San Francisco and New York didn’t make the Top 10, which was dominated by Texas, which took places 3, 8, 9 and 10.

The Lone Star State’s popularity was also evident in 2024 Census Bureau data released earlier this year, which shows that Texas welcomed the the second-most movers from outside states (556,156), while losing only 483,476 residents who moved out of state.

Iowa, Georgia, Alabama and Michigan cities rounded out the Top 10 “best places to live” ranking:

See the full ranking and complete methodology on the U.S. News & World Report site.

“As prices of everyday goods continue to rise, consumers are considering affordability as a top priority when choosing a place to live,” said Giovanetti. “While U.S. News’ consumer survey indicated that quality of life and affordability were close in importance, cost-of-living concerns resulted in many Americans putting what they can afford above their aspirations.”

Of those making a move to a new state, nearly three quarters rent, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

“Nationally, affordability pressures are still very real,” Nadia Evangelou, principal economist and director of real estate research at NAR, writes. “For many households, especially younger movers or those facing higher borrowing costs, renting provides flexibility, time to learn a new market, or an opportunity to save.”

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