Fresno County city ranked among top 100 places to live in the US. Here’s why
Looking to move to a new city? A Fresno County city may be one of the best places to live in the nation.
Clovis recently ranked among the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the US in 2025, according to Livability.com, an online resource aimed at helping small and mid-size cities, states and regions attract and retain residents and businesses.
Livability.com scored cities based on economy, education, health, housing and other factors.
The online resource focused on small to mid-size cities with populations between 75,000 and 500,000 people, and a median home value of $500,000 or less.
“If you’re looking for your personal best place to live, we know what might be on your wishlist,” Livability.com said in its website. “You want to have it all: a shot at owning a home. Less time sitting in traffic. A safe and vibrant place where you can truly thrive.”
Flower Mound, Texas, was crowned the No. 1 place to live in the country thanks in part to the city’s “suburban charm and endless amenities.”
The Texas city boasts “top-rated schools, a strong economy and plenty of parks,” the site said.
Carmel, Indiana, came in second place due to its “thriving economy, award-winning schools and excellent health care options,” while Sugar Land, Texas, came in third place.
Here’s where Clovis and other California cities ranked:
Why is Clovis one of the best places to live in US?
Clovis ranked No. 22 on Livability.com’s list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2025.
The city, which is roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Fresno, had an estimated population of 127,993 residents in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Livability.com touted the city as a “warm, welcoming community with highly rated schools, exceptional quality of life and a relatively low cost of living in the San Joaquin Valley.”
Clovis’ main draw is Old Town, which Livability.com described as a quaint yet thoroughly modern district “with eclectic dining spots, a hopping beer scene, vibrant nightlife and fabulous shopping.”
Clovis residents have access to an “impressive number of doctors,” with 250 physicians per 100,000 residents, Livability.com said, as well as Clovis Community Medical Center, home to a Level I Trauma Center.
Clovis also has a sunny climate and a “close proximity to natural wonders,” according to Livability.com.
Clovis has an established reputation as one of California’s top spots to settle down.
In April, Consumer Affairs named Clovis one of the best cities to move to in California, The Fresno Bee previously reported.
The Fresno County city ranked No. 1 on Niche’s list of the Best Places to Live in the Fresno Area in 2024.
What are the top 10 cities to live in the US?
These were the 10 best cities to live in the United States, according to Livability.com:
- Flower Mound in Texas
- Carmel, Indiana
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Naperville, Illinois
- Roswell, Georgia
- Overland Park, Kansas
- Troy, Michigan
- Columbia, Maryland
- Olathe, Kansas
- Round Rock, Texas
Where are the best cities to settle down in the Southwest?
In addition to ranking the top 100 best cities to live in the United States, Livability.com ranked the top 20 cities in five separate regions.
A total of two California cities ranked among the best places to live in the Southwest.
Clovis came in eighth place, while Redding was No. 18.
These were the 10 best cities to live in the Southwest, according to Livability.com:
Flower Mound,Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Round Rock, Texas
Gilbert, Arizona
Edmond, Oklahoma
New Braunfels, Texas
Loveland, Colorado
Clovis
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Midland, Texas
How did Liveability come up with its rankings?
Livability partnered with Applied Geographic Solutions to curate its list of Top 100 Best Places To Live in the U.S., based on about 100 data points measuring eight categories.
These included economy, education, transportation, housing and cost of living, according to the website.
Livability then assigned a Livability Score to more than 2,000 cities that fit its population parameters, focusing on cities with populations of 75,000 to 500,000 residents.
The top 100 scoring cities, formed the site’s Top 100 Best Places to Live, representing the top 5% of U.S. cities with populations in the studied range.
Only cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less were included in the final rankings.
Livability used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Postal Service, Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Department of Health and Social Services and Housing and Urban Development.
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