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U.S. News Names Boulder No. 1 & Denver No. 2 In New Best Places To Live Rankings

(CBS4) - U.S. News & World Report says four Colorado cities are in the Top 5 best places to live in the country. Boulder and Denver came in at No. 1 and No. 2 and Colorado Springs and Fort Collins came in at No. 4 and No. 5 in the 150 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2020-21 list.

U.S. News used real estate, economic, education and crime measurements to come up with its rankings. They looked at the 150 most populous metro areas in the country and surveyed more than 3,000 people. Here's the top 5:

1. Boulder
2. Denver
3. Austin, Texas
4. Colorado Springs
5. Fort Collins

Boulder, a "perpetual playground" according to U.S. News, the got high marks for its healthy living options, recreational opportunities, fun vibe, as well as the beauty of its natural setting.

Tube To Work Day
(credit: CBS)

"This city reveals its spectacle at the crest of a hill on U.S. Route 36 from Denver with its iconic sandstone slabs rising from the mountains, prefaced by pine-clad mesas and cradled within the backdrop of the snow-capped Indian Peaks," said Katy Marquardt, writer at U.S. News & World Report.

Google HQ Boulder Climbing Wall
Product support expert for Google Pay Ada Chinda boulders at the Google campus in Boulder on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Phase 1, which consists of two, roughly 100,000 square-foot buildings, opened in December. Construction on Phase 2, a third building of roughly 100,000 square feet, should begin later this year and be complete in late 2019. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Denver was hailed for having generally healthy and positive residents are progressive-minded and love nature. The profile on U.S. News' website written by Katie Hearsum also goes into extensive detail about how robust the legal marijuana scene is.

Largest Cannabis Trade Show Comes To Denver
A showgoer looks at a marijuana plant under a Blackdog LED grow light at the INDO EXPO cannabis trade show on January 27, 2019 in Denver. The show is a platform for business to business and features producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers in the cannabis industry. (credit: Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images)

"Denver has seen a surge in cannabis-related commerce, from dispensaries to magazines to high-tech paraphernalia like vaporizers, rolling papers, lotions and storage containers – and the industry is gaining speed," Hearsum wrote.

For the complete list and to see how your community stacks up, check out the full report.

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