The United States is filled with world-class cities and under-the-radar attractions worth visiting year-round. But when it comes time to settle down, some spots are better than others.

U.S. News & World Report just released this year's list of the best places to live in America after evaluating the country's 125 most populous metropolitan areas. Several factors were considered, including affordability, job prospects and quality of life. Data such as crime rates, availability of health care and median household income was used in conjunction with results from polls. For example, they asked 2,500 people from all over the country where they'd prefer to live to create a desirability index. Net migration — how many people are moving to or away from each metro area — was also a significant factor when coming up with the final ranking.