The Top Cities in the USA

For the fourth year in a row, New York City is the most popular city in the USA where most people would like to live in or near if they were not currently living somewhere else according to recent results from a Harris Interactive survey.

It comes as somewhat of a surprise that in spite of the events of September 11, 2001, and the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the New York City area is still seen by so many consumers as a great place to live in or near.

San Francisco, the only other city to have held the number one slot (in 1998) in popularity over the last six years, retains the second place position. Third in popularity is Seattle, which has been in the top four every year since this question was first asked in 1997.

The biggest improvement is made by Orlando, up from twelfth place last year to number four now. Atlanta also moves up to fifth place from ninth place last year.

Other cities which move up the list, if only very modestly, are Chicago (from number 7, to number 6), Los Angeles (from number 11 to number 10), and Miami (from number 13 to number 11). Dallas, which did not make the top 15 last year comes in at number nine. Two other cities not listed last year also make the top 15 cut this year - Ashville, North Carolina (number 13) and San Antonio, Texas (number 14).

Cities, which have lost popularity this year, include San Diego (from number 2 to number 8), Las Vegas (from number 5 to number 14), and Boston (from number 7 to number 12). Three other cities slip out of the top 15 list: Phoenix (from number 10 last year), Houston and Charlotte (both from number 13).

These are the major results of The Harris Poll, a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Harris Interactive with a sample of 1,010 adults from July 18 to 22, 2002.

For complete data tables for this survey, please go to: www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=322

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

• Harris Interactive Inc.
• All news
• MrWeb info