One of Top Places to Live in America is This Surprise Town in Massachusetts

What makes a great place to live?  Think about it, and you will come up with adjectives like affordable, vibrant, engaging, scholarly, and fun.

According to money.com, a few towns came out stronger after the pandemic, and those are some of the most community-driven places in America, keeping it together for its children and citizens of all ages.

If you think Boston would top that list in Massachusetts, you would be wrong.  While Boston is one of the top cities to live in, it's not what the survey is checking.  Looking at qualities like community involvement, art and culture, great schools and teachers, affordability, and a strong job market are all important to a robust town.

Quality of life is exceptional in the best towns, and Northampton, Massachusetts, qualifies in so many of the most important areas.

With only about 30,000 people living in Northampton, there are many diverse programs and colleges adding to the economic progress.  The downtown is filled with shops and restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and health and wellness offices.

Healthcare practitioners abound to keep life in balance.  You may find salsa dancing at the park this week, and a dog owners' meet-and-greet the next week.  Inclusiveness is real in Northampton, home to five area colleges, Smith College, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Northampton is a college town with plenty of independent book shops, boutiques, popular gems for restaurants, a unique train tunnel bar, a rail train, hiking, fishing, swimming, an art scene, live music, and so much more.