With Colorado taking the lead, the west of the United States accounts for more than half of the top 10 American cities, according to the prestigious U.S. News and World Report magazine.
The magazine's annual listings of best places to live in the country was released Monday, and Austin, Texas regained the top spot for the second year in a row.
Close behind were two Colorado cities, including Top 3 Denver and newcomer Colorado Springs, a small city 117 km south of Denver in the Rocky Mountain state.
Colorado Springs, called the most conservative city in the United States, jumped from 11th to pass Denver as the 2018 runner-up.
The city with a small population of only 600,000 bumped Denver and its 2.9 million residents from the second place in 2017 to the third in 2018.
The annual ranking of best U.S. places to live looks at five metrics: job market, value, quality of life, desirability, and net migration.
Other aspects such as affordable housing, access to well-paying jobs, a low cost of living, good schools, and quality of healthcare are also factored into the equation.
Colorado Springs' clime up the ranking was due chiefly to its quality life and booming job market.
According to the Gallup Sharecare Well-Being index, Colorado Springs residents generally felt fulfilled socially, physically and financially.
"Our data shows high school students in Colorado Springs are sufficiently prepared for college and face better job market than others did in recent years," said the U.S. News and World Report.
Portland, capital of the Oregon state and Seattle of Washington state also entered the Top 10 with the nation's capital, Washington DC taking the No.8 spot in 2018.
The news magazine surveyed the 100 largest metro areas by population in the United States. Baton Rouge of Louisiana state, Virginia Beach of Virginia state and Philadelphia ranked at the bottom of the list.
