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A small-town feel works for Madison, at least when it comes to being one of the best places to live in America.

U.S. News and World Report came out with its inaugural 100 best places to live rankings on Wednesday, with Madison ranked No. 24.

Denver tops the list, with Austin, a city Madison likes to compare itself to, coming in second.

Rounding out the top 10 are: Fayetteville, Arkansas; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Colorado Springs; Boise; Seattle; Washington D.C.; San Francisco and San Jose, California.

Holly Henschen, freelance writer and former communications director for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, broke down the reasons Madison is high on the list of best places to live in the U.S.

“It exudes the casual, down-to-earth feel you’d expect in the capital of America’s Dairyland,” Henschen said in her profile of Madison.

“Much like in New York City, it’s somewhat rare to encounter a native Madisonian,” she said. “Some who have relocated permanently attended UW-Madison and never left. Others relocated to Madison for work. Nevertheless, the small-town vibe of Madison shines through.”