Editor’s Letter: Livable America

Our essay "The Ups and Downs of Livability Rankings" and the section that follows examine
some of the most common metrics for livability and
unpack the values, ideologies, and implicit judgments baked into them. Along the way, we talk with
a diverse group in five Los Angeles households who
recently switched neighborhoods about the real-life
factors that swayed their choices, a New
Orleans designer and activist about how to prevent
gentrification as neighborhoods improve, and
people whose once high-scoring regions have been
drastically affected by climate change and are having
to adapt to a new reality. 

As we interviewed residents and ranked the rankings, it solidified our own criteria for livable places,
and they center on a few key qualities.

Human-Focused Planning: Walkable communities and what are known as 15-minute cities—where
most needs are within short travel distances—are
ideal. But it’s just as important to consider the actual
amount of space devoted to people versus cars and
for small-scale retail versus big-box bloat.

Economic Diversity: We value places with a variety
of housing—particularly high-density and affordable
housing—that allows people with different budgets
and in different professions to live close to jobs,
schools, and healthcare.

Safe Spaces (for Everyone): One person’s policing
is someone else’s threat. People of all colors, sexualities, gender expressions, religions, and backgrounds
should feel safe where they work and reside.

Sustainability and Health: Ecology and human
health go hand in hand. For all to thrive, localities
should incorporate sustainable environmental practices
in addition to supporting the health of people—of all
abilities—who live there.

Community Agency: Centralized planning can help
ensure that spaces are used in just and equitable ways,
but the best policies often percolate up from the grass
roots and empower residents with the authority to
determine the future of their cities, their neighbor-
hoods, their blocks, and their homes.

In the coming year, we will be profiling neighborhoods around the United States, asking residents
to assess their communities based on these criteria.
Our goal is to learn from the best places to live—as
defined by the people who call them home.