(Des Moines, Iowa) — It’s not the “garden spot” of the U-S, but Iowa does have two cities listed on a report from U.S. News and World report, for the country’s best places to live. In its annual list of Best Places to Live in the U.S., released May 15, U.S. News ranked Des Moines 19th and the Quad Cities (Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa and Moline and Rock Island in Illinois) 54th.

The publication ranks the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. based on an analysis of quality of life, housing affordability and the job market, among other factors.

It’s a slight drop for Des Moines, which ranked 14th last year and 13th in 2021. At its highest on the list, Iowa’s capital city was fourth in 2018. The Quad Cities dropped one spot from 2022.

U.S. News & World Report’s Top 20 Best Places to Live in the U.S., 2023-24

1. Green Bay, Wisconsin

2. Huntsville, Alabama

3. Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina

4. Boulder, Colorado

5. Sarasota, Florida

6. Naples, Florida

7. Portland, Maine

8. Charlotte, North Carolina

9. Colorado Springs, Colorado

10. Fayetteville, Arkansas

11. Madison, Wisconsin

12. Boise, Idaho

13. San Jose, California

14. Ann Arbor, Michigan

15. Melbourne, Florida

16. Jacksonville, Florida

17. Albany, New York

18. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

19. Des Moines, Iowa

20. Grand Rapids, Michigan