Olympia is fourth-best place to live in U.S., website says

Olympia has been ranked as the fourth-best place to live in the nation, according to the latest “Top 100 Best Place to Live” by website Livability.com.

Washington’s state capital finished behind Rochester, Minnesota; Iowa City, Iowa; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Other Washington cities on this year’s list include Bellevue (6), Renton (51), Richland (78) and Edmonds (96).

The list focuses on cities with populations between 20,000 and 350,000. The website summarizes the local and regional reasons why Olympia – with a population of about 50,000 – was selected:

“As the capital of Washington, Olympia’s major employers are state and local government. Residents have access to 25 hospitals within a 60-mile radius, and beautiful scenery highlights include Puget Sound, Tumwater Falls Park, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and Wolf Haven International. Olympia has a top transportation system in place, and students have the convenience of The Evergreen State College, Saint Martin’s University and South Puget Sound Community College.”

Other factors in the ranking, according to the site, are the city’s housing prices and access to outdoor activities, along with local festivals and “artsy attractions.”

Olympia was ranked 20th on the list in 2015 after being ranked 55th in 2014. Criteria that determine the rankings include amenities, demographics, economy, education, health care, housing, social and civic capital, and transportation and infrastructure.

The list is compiled through a partnership with the Initiative for Creativity and Innovation in Cities at New York University.