Berkeley, California, was named the healthiest city in the U.S. by Niche.com. The Alameda County city enjoys an average of 256 sunny days each year and a mild Mediterranean climate, allowing residents to spend ample time outdoors.
Each year, Niche.com reveals the healthiest places in the nation, based on “a comprehensive assessment of the general health levels among residents in an area.” The company considers key indicators of personal health, including smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, rates of obesity, and people’s access and proximity to health care facilities, including gyms, doctors, and mental health practitioners.
And this year, Niche.com named Berkeley, California, the healthiest city in the U.S.
The Alameda County city is less than half an hour from San Francisco, and boasts 256 sunny days per year and a mild Mediterranean climate. Residents don’t have to travel far to enjoy time in nature and stay active—Berkeley has over 50 parks with sports facilities, trails, and playgrounds. Additionally, places like Muir Woods National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Pinnacles National Park offer even more options for outdoor recreation.
In fact, the city was named the No. 1 Healthiest Place to Live in America and the No. 1 Healthiest City, really driving home the point that this is indeed a healthy place. Berkeley also snagged an A+ rating for its schools, A+ for nightlife, and an A+ for outdoor activities, which surely helps to keep its population in tip-top shape. The only categories it falls short in are housing, where it scored a C-, crime and safety, which also nabbed it a C-, and the cost of living, where it scored a low D+. And these grades are well reflected in the local reviews.
“Berkeley is a totally unique city. I have never seen another place so littered with diversity. There are all kinds of people from all walks of life, and there is no place as notorious as Berkeley for self-expression,” one person shared on Niche.com. “Life is technically not great here, with expensive and rare housing opportunities and a struggling job market, but for all aspects of life where life is actually supposed to be fun, Berkeley thrives.”
But this isn’t the only place people can feel that healthy buzz. Cambridge, Massachusetts, ranked second, followed by Irvine, California, Bellevue, Washington, and Seattle, Washington, rounding out the top five healthiest cities in the country.
You can see where your city ranks and read the complete list at niche.com.
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