U.S. News & World Report released its Best Places to Live in 2023-2024 list, which includes 20 places that are ranked according to the following factors; affordability, job market, morning commute, access to quality health care, and more. While places like Los Angeles, Miami, Charleston and others were expected on a list like this, one town in Maryland unexpectedly came in at 14– Salisbury, ranked a couple spots ahead of San Diego (16).
To add a little context, U.S. News includes popular beach destinations like Ocean City (MD), Rehoboth Beach (DE), and Bethany Beach (DE) in Salisbury’s “metropolitan statistical area”, per the U.S. Census. Salisbury is also home to Maryland’s only Cookout location– a popular fast food area focused in the southeast that has slowly expanded further north.
Per the list, “While the city of Salisbury is in the middle of Maryland’s eastern peninsula, the metropolitan statistical area, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau, includes popular beach destinations like Ocean City, Maryland; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; and Bethany Beach, Delaware. These spots are popular during the warm months of the year, particularly among residents of other areas of the mid-Atlantic who visit for a few days and rent a beach house. For those looking to stay year-round, Salisbury University, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional Hospital and Perdue Farms are major employers in the metro area.”
Featured photo courtesy of Salisbury University