Tampa Bay is home to two of America's 'best places to live'

Once again, Tampa Bay is home to several of the top places to live in America, according to Niche’s latest rankings.

Harbour Island has risen to No. 4 on the 2025 Best Places to Live in America list, surpassing Uptown, which held the spot last year.

“Living in Harbour Island offers residents an urban feel, and most residents rent their homes. In Harbour Island, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks,” the report noted.

The median home value in Harbour Island is $543,897, significantly above the national average of $303,400. The rent ($2,576) also sits above the national mark of $1,348. The neighborhood nabbed some additional rankings from Niche, ranking as the No. 3 best neighborhood in America and the best place to raise a family in Tampa.

To determine its annual rankings, Niche compiled data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Education and the Internal Revenue Service, plus millions of resident reviews. The Pittsburgh-based data company factored in affordability, local housing markets, neighborhood diversity, public schools and walkability, among other things. Some 12,000 towns, cities and neighborhoods across the country were included in Niche’s analysis.

Courier City was the other Tampa Bay place to make the top 15, taking the No. 12 spot. The area’s median home value is $529,093, leading to more residents opting to rent than own.

America’s best places to live

Colonial Village, a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, claimed the No. 1 spot on the 2025 Best Places to Live in America list. The remaining top-ranked locations are spread across the country.

The top 10 also include Atlantic Station in Atlanta; Chesterbrook near Philadelphia; City Center in Santa Monica, California; South Lake Union in Seattle; Carmel, Indiana; Midtown in Atlanta; Madison near Huntsville, Alabama; and Johns Creek, a suburb of Atlanta.

Downtown Orlando was the only other Florida location to make the top 20 of the list.

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