Boston ranks 7th in quality of life nationwide
By Staff Reporter
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
(CBS4) BOSTON Now that summer is coming to a close, most folks are returning to life in the city after days spent on the beach. So how does Boston balance our quality of life when it comes to the stress of a modern city? According to one Web site, it’s a question of sustainability.
The site, sustainlane.com conducted a nationwide study that measured the largest 50 cities in America on essential quality-of-life and economic factors that affect residents’ health and personal sustainability. Boston, it seems, has a lot to be proud of. Overall Boston ranked seventh of the 50 cities selected coming in behind Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; Seattle; Chicago; Oakland; and New York City.
In 2005, Boston ranked 12th of the 50 cities.
In this study, a ranking of “1” indicates the best ranking in the category and “50’ indicates the worst ranking in the category.
When it comes to housing prices, Boston is one of the most expensive places to live, putting us low on the chart at number 42.
Boston’s tap water also needs work, as its ranking trickled in at number 40.
When it comes to natural disasters like floods and hurricanes, Boston rates at number 32.
Air quality ranks 22nd and when it comes to climate change, Boston squeezes in at number 17. Almost nine percent of our energy comes from renewable sources and there are many alternative energy cars in the city, according to the site.
The news for Boston gets even better. When it comes to land use—Boston ranks third, thanks to a lack of urban sprawl and abundant green space.
View all of Boston's results in the study here.
Now this may come as a surprise—regarding transportation, Boston ranks number two thanks to the high use of public transit.
And when it comes to local foods, Boston ranks number one with 13 farmers markets and almost 200 community gardens.
