Berkeley has placed third in a ranking published by Livability.com of the best places to live in the U.S. Sadly, our city by the bay was beaten to the top slot by Palo Alto. Boulder, Colorado came in second.

Livability describes Berkeley as “a thriving small city” and “a mecca for fine arts, culture, food and science.” “Residents appreciate a strong local school system, a commitment to environmental interests, including urban farming, bike trails, public transportation and abundant public green space, like the enormous public Berkeley Rose Garden,” the write-up goes.

Berkeley scores 643 points in a measurement that takes in economics, healthcare, housing, social and civic capital, education, amenities, demographics and infrastructure. The survey puts the average household income in Berkeley at $59,581, the average work commute at 22.38 minutes and the median home price at $549,500.

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