When it comes time to move to a new city, you have to weigh the pros and cons to ensure living there will be a pleasant experience. Does the ease of getting around the city make a difference? Or the pay at a new job? What about the area's reputation as a cool place to visit?

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To rank the Best Places to Live, U.S. News assesses statistics for the country's 100 largest metro areas, including each location's job market, cost of living, crime rates, educational quality, availability of top-notch health care and more. Each category is weighted based on a survey of 2,000 people across the country and what they said matters most to them when picking their next place to live. Read on for the 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017.

25. Omaha, Nebraska



Nebraska's largest metro area scored highest for its value. Omaha is the second-most affordable place to live on the Best Places list, behind Des Moines, Iowa.



Metro Population: 895,919

Median Home Price: $152,450

Median Annual Salary: $44,920

24. Richmond, Virginia



Located about 100 miles south of the District of Columbia, Richmond attracts visitors every year for its role in American history, and more people are moving to the area thanks to its growing job market. Top employers in the area include Capital One Financial Corp., VCU Health System Authority and the HCA Virginia Health System.



[See: The 25 Most Desirable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017.]



Metro Population: 1,246,215

Median Home Price: $216,580

Median Annual Salary: $47,880



23. San Antonio, Texas



San Antonio is seeing similar growth in its job market and population as nearby Austin, Texas. Between 2011 and 2015, San Antonio grew by 6.6 percent due to net migration alone.



Metro Population: 2,286,702

Median Home Price: $178,408

Median Annual Salary: $43,740

22. San Diego, California



What San Diego lacks in affordability — it's one of the most expensive metro areas on the list — it makes up for in desirability. San Diego's beautiful beaches and laid-back vibe make many Americans wish they lived there.



Metro Population: 3,223,096

Median Home Price: $484,625

Median Annual Salary: $54,210





21. Sarasota, Florida



Sarasota is another metro area with a reputation for being pricey to live compared to the typical annual income, but its recent rapid growth shows that plenty of people are willing to take on the extra costs. The Sarasota metro area grew by 10.7 percent from 2011 to 2015 due to net migration, the second-greatest population growth in that time period after only Fort Myers, Florida.



Metro Population: 735,767

Median Home Price: $224,613

Median Annual Salary: $40,600



20. Houston, Texas



Houston rounds out the top 20 with high marks for its cost of living compared to the median annual salary, as well as for its growth due to net migration. Houston is the second of four Texas metro areas in the list of top 25 Best Places to Live in 2017.



Metro Population: 6,346,653

Median Home Price: $197,628

Median Annual Salary: $51,830



19. Grand Rapids, Michigan



Falling a few spots after finishing at No. 13 on last year's list, Grand Rapids is hailed for its low cost of living, low crime, short commutes and high rate of college readiness among area high school students, as scored by the U.S. News Best High Schools rankings.



Metro Population: 1,017,877

Median Home Price: $155,256

Median Annual Salary: $42,950





18. Madison, Wisconsin



Madison receives its highest score for having a solid job market. With a median annual salary of $47,490, unemployment is just 3.2 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.



Metro Population: 627,618

Median Home Price: $219,429

Median Annual Salary: $49,030



17. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota



Minneapolis is hailed for its low cost of living, as residents typically spend just over 25 percent of their income on housing expenses, including utilities. Minneapolis also has an unemployment rate of just over 3.5 percent.



Metro Population: 3,458,790

Median Home Price: $223,995

Median Annual Salary: $53,450





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