Santa Monica Neighborhoods Among Top 5 Places To Live In U.S.

SANTA MONICA, CA — Between the waves, stunning sunsets and fantastic weather — it's no secret that living in Santa Monica is sweet.

A new report out from Niche ranks several Santa Monica neighborhoods as the best places to call home in the U.S. in 2021.

Here are Niche's 2021 Best Places to Live in America:

1. Chesterbrook, PA
2. City Center, CA
3. Ocean Park, CA
4. Penn Wynne, PA
5. Cotten Creek South, TX

In Santa Monica, City Center ranked at No. 2 and Ocean Park ranked at No. 3 as the top five places to live in the country. The Santa Monica neighborhoods are just blocks from the beach and walkable for residents near great shopping, restaurants and cafes.

Niche is a platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools. It released its 2021 Best Places to Live rankings this month. People often use Niche rankings and profiles to help figure out big life decisions, including where to live and attend schools. The company has produced these rankings for seven years, including 228 cities and 18,516 towns and neighborhoods in the report.

Niche generates these rankings by using data from the U.S. Census, FBI, BLS, and CDC combined with resident reviews. The company considers multiple factors such as affordability, the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools and walkability.

“In the past year, many people have become more mobile than ever before," said Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche, in a statement. "Especially if they’re able to work remotely, people are asking themselves where they really want to live."

"Our rankings are designed to help our users find the next place they want to call home based on their unique priorities," Skurman said. "For families, we know schools are an important factor. In addition to the Best Places to Live rankings, our comprehensive school profiles and school rankings are very valuable for families looking to make a move.”

Rankings are grouped by Best Places, Cities, Suburbs or Neighborhoods with rankings by state, city area or county, according to the company. Niche also includes specialized lists highlighting locations Best for Familiies, Young Professionals, Homebuyers and Retirees.

Here are Niche's 2021 Best Cities to Live in America:

1. The Woodlands, TX
2. Arlington, VA
3. Naperville, IL
4. Overland Park, KS
5. Cambridge, MA

For the first time, The Woodlands, TX is the No. 1 Best City to Live in America, surpassing Arlington, VA for the top spot. Chesterbrook, PA, a Philadelphia neighborhood, keeps its 2020 title as the #1 Best Place to Live in America in 2021.

In Los Angeles neighborhoods, Niche ranked Ocean Park No. 2, Mid-City No. 3, Wilshire/Montana No. 4 and Santa Monica at No. 5. Pico ranked at No. 12.

Here are Niche's 2021 Best Places to Live in the Los Angeles Area:

1. City Center
2. Ocean Park
3. Mid-City
4. Wilshire/Montana
5. Santa Monica
6. Sunset Park
7. Hermosa Beach
8. Manhattan Beach
9. Turtle Rock
10. Westpark II

Check out Niche's full 2021 rankings.