America's 25 Best Big Cities to Live In

Although many people enjoy the peace and quiet that a rural, out-of-the-way small town can offer, others thrive in big cities. Approximately 80 percent of the United States's total population live in urban areas that offer a wide range of opportunities when it comes to socializing, careers, and everyday living.

Even though living in a big city sounds pretty nice, it comes with a price (literally), as home prices are generally higher in urban areas. Given the number of people who occupy the same space, there are also other worries about air pollution and traffic. However, sometimes the good outweighs the bad.

Financial advisory site Wallethub compared 62 of the largest cities in the United States and ranked them from best to worst, based on five key indicators: affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. In the end, they figured out each city’s weighted average among all the different dimensions in order to compile the ranked list. Where did your city fall?

1. Virginia Beach, VA

1. Austin, TX

1. Seattle, WA

1. San Diego, CA

1. Las Vegas, NV

1. San Francisco, CA

1. New York, NY

1. San Jose, CA

1. Honolulu, HI

1. Portland, OR

1. Raleigh, NC

1. Minneapolis, MN

1. Denver, CO

1. Colorado Springs, CO

1. Tampa, FL

1. Washington, DC

1. Pittsburgh, PA

1. Mesa, AZ

1. Omaha, NE

1. Boston, MA

1. Aurora, CO

1. Charlotte, NC

1. Chicago, IL

1. Atlanta, GA

1. Arlington, TX

Source: WalletHub