Rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. One study may say the best city for college students is X, while a company’s survey finds that X is the most expensive for recent grads. At the end of it all, however, it’s all fun and games – except when the rankings that roll into the city are negative, of course. And while a year in rankings can certainly make one’s head spin, let’s take a look back on the best and worst nods that Boston received in 2014.
Whether it comes to walkability, the worst parking, or the hardest working, it’s all here in Boston.
The Good
The Best City for College Students in the Country – Boston, with its bustling education community, is no stranger to this number one ranking. This time, British publisher QS ran the global survey, with Boston falling sixth in the world, but first in the US.
The Hardest Working City in the Country – If you’re looking for a life of leisure, consider this ranking a poor one. But, MyLife named Boston the hardest working city in the country, and it’s hard to argue with that. Now, get back to work!
The 3rd Top Foodie City – Whether or not you actually consider yourself a foodie is neither here nor there. Livability did the job for you by naming the city of Boston itself the third top foodie city in the country, based on the diversity of its food scene.
The 3rd Most Walkable City – Love to avoid the T at all costs? Good news: Boston was ranked the third most walkable city in the nation by LOCUS and The George Washington University’s Center for Real Estate & Urban Analysis. Hopefully you got walking shoes for Christmas this year.
The 4th Best City for Sheer Brainpower – Boston is smart; there’s no doubt about that. And when it comes to sheer brainpower, Boston ranks fourth, according to The Business Journals ranking, which accounted for the populations in cities with the most high school, bachelor’s, and graduate’s degrees.
The 6th Best City for Millennials – Boston ranked in the top 10 for cities with the best assets for millennials, coming in sixth in the Niche survey. The only catch? The best neighborhood for those young professionals is Spring Hill, Somerville. Interesting…
The 6th Best City for STEM Salaries – Have a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics? You’re in luck. This year, according to NerdWallet, Boston was ranked the sixth best city for STEM salaries. (What about journalists, though?)
The 8th Most ‘Carpe Diem’ City – This year, Eventbrite conducted a survey to find out with cities were the most ‘Carpe Diem.’ To Eventbrite, that means the city’s that are most actively partaking in the events, festivals and goings on that are offered. Considering we live in a hellish winter for the majority of the year, that’s a good ranking.
The 9th Hottest Travel Destination in the US – The American Public Transportation Association ran a summer survey that charted the best “Travel Like a Local” destinations for those departing across the country. Boston came in as the 9th hottest destination in the country, edging out San Francisco in the top 10.
The 9th Best State in the Country for Working Moms (Massachusetts) – Massachusetts is furthering the cause of workplace equality for men and women, including mothers, and that work is evident in the state’s 2014 ranking as the ninth best state for working mothers, according to Wallet Hub.
The 10th Best City for Foodies – Yes, the word ‘foodie’ pops up twice on this list of annual rankings. But, that’s good news! This time around, Boston landed as number 10 on Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Survey of the best cities for foodies.
The 10th Best State for Bicyclists (Massachusetts) – When we’re not eating, we’re biking. At least, that’s according to this survey of the best states for bicyclists, conducted by The League of American Bicyclists. The only downside to this ranking? In 2013, Boston was ranked sixth.
The 13th State with the Best Overall Well-Being – Gallup conducted its annual survey of states’ well-being, and Massachusetts came in 13th, judged upon factors like life evaluation, emotional health, and work environment.
The 13th Most Energy Efficient City – Boston is working its way up the ranks in becoming an energy efficient hub. And an EPA survey that charted the cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings listed Boston at number 13.
The 23rd Happiest City in the Country – Gallup and Healthways teamed up to create the latest Well-Being Index, and Boston came in 23rd in the top quintile of all the metro areas in the country. Not too shabby, considering there were 189 slots to be filled.
The 27th Best City to Find a Job – Out of 60 US cities, Boston ranked 27th in WalletHub’s survey of the best cities to find a job. This isn’t terrible, but it’s not the best, either. Just try not to start eyeing the 26th better cities in 2015.
The Most Highly Concentrated Number of Biochemists (Massachusetts) – This ranking is a little out there, but according to Business Insider, the job “most unique” to Massachusetts is biochemistry. That means biochemists are most disproportionately concentrated in our state, and therefore, making our state one of the smartest.
One of the Cities Least Dependent on Cars – It goes hand in hand with Boston’s walkability: This year, City Clock magazine compiled a list of urban neighborhoods outside of NYC least dependent on cars, and numerous Boston neighborhoods, like the North End and Beacon Hill, made the list.
The Bad
The Most Expensive Air BnB Rentals in the World – Want to visit Boston? Better steer clear from Air BnB, because here in Boston, our prices are the most expensive in the world. The only silver lining? You don’t have to Air BnB here when you live here.
The 5th Worst Highways in America (Massachusetts) – In Massachusetts, we ranked 46th in overall highway performance. In case you didn’t put it together, when there are 50 states, that’s bad. If you ever feel like the roads you drive on through Mass. could be better, you have the 21st Annual Highway Report to back you up.
The 5th Worst City for Parking – No surprise here. Boston was ranked the fifth worst city for parking by NerdWallet, but don’t take their word for it. Get in a car and try to park it in the middle of downtown Boston.
The 7th Worst City for Drivers – Hey, it’s better than number one right? Just remind yourself of this NerdWallet ranking the next to me you have horns honking at your from every direction and a wayward pedestrian flipping you off. It could be worse.
The 13th Most Congested City in the Country – According to TomTom, Bostonians spend about three days a year sitting in traffic. We’ll wait while your life flashes before your eyes. That’s right, Boston is the 13th most traffic-congested city in the country. Say it with me: It could be worse.
The 27th Most Patriotic State in the Country (Massachusetts) – Excuse me? The nation was born here in Boston, and yet Massachusetts only rings in 27th when it comes to flaunting its stars and stripes, according to Movoto. Whatever.
Until next year, y’all. Here’s to more solid rankings in 2015.
Image via Shutterstock
