The Best Liberal Places to Live in America

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The best liberal places to live in America

If you've ever daydreamed about moving to a new town where you can freely express your political views—particularly in light of recent events—you're not alone. An October 2024 analysis from the New York Times shows a growing trend of both conservative and liberal Americans relocating from politically mixed neighborhoods to areas more in line with their respective beliefs. Of all those movers, millennials are the most likely to factor politics into their housing decisions. 33% of millennials say national politics heavily influence where they choose to live, according to an October 2024 survey from Realtor.com.

As a result of growing geopolitical divides, certain areas lean further left than others. Stacker analyzed data from Niche to rank the 50 best liberal places to live in the U.S. Niche sources data from several public data sources, including the Department of Education, Census Bureau, and FBI. This particular data set was acquired by filtering for "very liberal" politics on the 2022 Best Places to Live in America list.

"Very liberal" is based on presidential election results from 2012 and 2016 as compared to the average in the nation. It's important to note that though all the populations are accurate, many of the areas listed are near a larger metropolitan area or city—for example, Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, Virginia, is right outside of Washington D.C.

Out of the top 50, the top 10 best liberal places to live in the U.S. scored well on public schools (Niche average of A+), outdoor space (Niche average of A), nightlife (Niche average of A+), health (Niche average of A+) and were good for families (Niche average of A+) but lacked in the housing (Niche average of B-) and cost of living (Niche average of C) categories.

All four regions in the continental U.S. (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West) are included in the top 10 best liberal places to live in the U.S. The median household income of the top 10 best liberal places to live in the U.S. only dipped below six figures in one location (Ocean Park, California), and even then, areas surrounding Santa Monica are affluent.

Keep reading to learn more about the best liberal places to live in the U.S., including their population, median rent, median home value, area feel, and more.

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#50. Arlington, Virginia

- Population: 236,434
- Median household income: $122,604
- Median home value: $731,700
- Median rent: $2,005
- Percent of people who own a home: 43%
- Area feel: Urban

#49. North Highland, Virginia

- Population: 4,423
- Median household income: $109,407
- Median home value: $516,370
- Median rent: $1,936
- Percent of people who own a home: 33%
- Area feel: null

#48. Community Center, California

- Population: 1,957
- Median household income: $242,292
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rent: $2,982
- Percent of people who own a home: 80%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

#47. Princeton Meadows, New Jersey

- Population: 14,261
- Median household income: $112,520
- Median home value: $14,261
- Median rent: $1,622
- Percent of people who own a home: 43%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#46. Agassiz, Massachusetts

- Population: 5,360
- Median household income: $115,077
- Median home value: $1,268,583
- Median rent: $2,391
- Percent of people who own a home: 31%
- Area feel: Urban

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#45. Greenmeadow, California

- Population: 2,132
- Median household income: $208,524
- Median home value: $1,968,986
- Median rent: $2,531
- Percent of people who own a home: 75%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#44. Barron Park, California

- Population: 2,967
- Median household income: $202,703
- Median home value: $1,991,754
- Median rent: $2,665
- Percent of people who own a home: 65%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#43. Atlantic Station, Georgia

- Population: 2,378
- Median household income: $68,485
- Median home value: $209,826
- Median rent: $1,773
- Percent of people who own a home: 54%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#42. Thornton Park, Florida

- Population: 376
- Median household income: $102,969
- Median home value: $418,784
- Median rent: $1,160
- Percent of people who own a home: 63%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#41. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

- Population: 13,890
- Median household income: $129,331
- Median home value: $393,300
- Median rent: $1,199
- Percent of people who own a home: 80%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

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#40. Professorville, California

- Population: 813
- Median household income: $245,749
- Median home value: $1,996,580
- Median rent: $3,424
- Percent of people who own a home: 59%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

#39. North Berkeley, California

- Population: 7,624
- Median household income: $94,290
- Median home value: $1,110,325
- Median rent: $1,782
- Percent of people who own a home: 41%
- Area feel: Urban

#38. Cambridge, Massachusetts

- Population: 117,822
- Median household income: $107,490
- Median home value: $843,100
- Median rent: $2,293
- Percent of people who own a home: 35%
- Area feel: Urban

#37. Midtown, California

- Population: 10,581
- Median household income: $189,244
- Median home value: $1,998,327
- Median rent: $3,004
- Percent of people who own a home: 63%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#36. North Rosslyn, Virginia

- Population: 3,135
- Median household income: $150,454
- Median home value: $935,740
- Median rent: $2,493
- Percent of people who own a home: 45%
- Area feel: null

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#35. Arlington Forest, Virginia

- Population: 2,811
- Median household income: $170,987
- Median home value: $758,498
- Median rent: $2,255
- Percent of people who own a home: 66%
- Area feel: null

#34. Uptown, Florida

- Population: 1,627
- Median household income: $63,561
- Median home value: $182,197
- Median rent: $1,371
- Percent of people who own a home: 11%
- Area feel: Urban

#33. Evergreen Park, California

- Population: 1,269
- Median household income: $134,423
- Median home value: $1,528,175
- Median rent: $2,426
- Percent of people who own a home: 43%
- Area feel: Urban

#32. Peabody, Massachusetts

- Population: 12,719
- Median household income: $126,795
- Median home value: $934,453
- Median rent: $2,429
- Percent of people who own a home: 42%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#31. Collier Hills North, Georgia

- Population: 576
- Median household income: $77,984
- Median home value: $334,135
- Median rent: $1,711
- Percent of people who own a home: 32%
- Area feel: Dense urban

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#30. Crescent Park, California

- Population: 4,018
- Median household income: $232,524
- Median home value: $1,992,024
- Median rent: $3,109
- Percent of people who own a home: 73%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#29. Duveneck/St. Francis, California

- Population: 3,085
- Median household income: $231,908
- Median home value: $1,957,201
- Median rent: $3,082
- Percent of people who own a home: 84%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#28. Clarendon/Courthouse, Virginia

- Population: 9,877
- Median household income: $125,792
- Median home value: $664,532
- Median rent: $2,321
- Percent of people who own a home: 22%
- Area feel: null

#27. Santa Monica, California

- Population: 91,600
- Median household income: $98,300
- Median home value: $1,452,100
- Median rent: $1,900
- Percent of people who own a home: 28%
- Area feel: Urban

#26. Oak Hill Park, Massachusetts

- Population: 1,593
- Median household income: $182,402
- Median home value: $822,109
- Median rent: $294
- Percent of people who own a home: 98%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

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#25. North Bethesda, Maryland

- Population: 49,719
- Median household income: $111,694
- Median home value: $594,100
- Median rent: $1,941
- Percent of people who own a home: 48%
- Area feel: Urban

#24. Riverside, Massachusetts

- Population: 11,912
- Median household income: $74,363
- Median home value: $1,067,010
- Median rent: $2,099
- Percent of people who own a home: 30%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#23. College Terrace, California

- Population: 1,559
- Median household income: $130,770
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rent: $2,539
- Percent of people who own a home: 45%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#22. East Cambridge, Massachusetts

- Population: 11,554
- Median household income: $104,221
- Median home value: $800,979
- Median rent: $2,485
- Percent of people who own a home: 27%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#21. Mid-Cambridge, Massachusetts

- Population: 14,088
- Median household income: $107,122
- Median home value: $854,840
- Median rent: $2,316
- Percent of people who own a home: 37%
- Area feel: Dense urban

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#20. Ballston/Virginia Square, Virginia

- Population: 13,929
- Median household income: $129,532
- Median home value: $561,254
- Median rent: $2,290
- Percent of people who own a home: 28%
- Area feel: null

#19. Macalester-Groveland, Minnesota

- Population: 18,951
- Median household income: $95,948
- Median home value: $382,714
- Median rent: $1,072
- Percent of people who own a home: 71%
- Area feel: Dense suburban

#18. Wayland, Massachusetts

- Population: 13,823
- Median household income: $192,632
- Median home value: $733,300
- Median rent: $1,263
- Percent of people who own a home: 91%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

#17. Old Palo Alto, California

- Population: 3,525
- Median household income: $248,610
- Median home value: $1,994,073
- Median rent: $2,850
- Percent of people who own a home: 77%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

#16. Wilshire/Montana, California

- Population: 14,828
- Median household income: $112,966
- Median home value: $1,201,595
- Median rent: $2,135
- Percent of people who own a home: 21%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#15. Downtown North, California

- Population: 3,215
- Median household income: $81,663
- Median home value: $1,575,707
- Median rent: $1,845
- Percent of people who own a home: 28%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#14. Manhasset Hills, New York

- Population: 3,808
- Median household income: $165,833
- Median home value: $847,600
- Median rent: $2,768
- Percent of people who own a home: 92%
- Area feel: Rural

#13. Cambridgeport, Massachusetts

- Population: 13,713
- Median household income: $110,565
- Median home value: $887,195
- Median rent: $2,309
- Percent of people who own a home: 35%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#12. The Port, Massachusetts

- Population: 6,658
- Median household income: $101,998
- Median home value: $805,299
- Median rent: $2,064
- Percent of people who own a home: 33%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#11. Ventura, California

- Population: 4,011
- Median household income: $165,978
- Median home value: $1,440,763
- Median rent: $2,386
- Percent of people who own a home: 38%
- Area feel: Urban

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#10. Clayton, Missouri

- Population: 16,763
- Median household income: $108,387
- Median home value: $605,700
- Median rent: $1,334
- Percent of people who own a home: 57%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

#9. Colonial Village, Virginia

- Population: 3,071
- Median household income: $106,428
- Median home value: $376,387
- Median rent: $2,010
- Percent of people who own a home: 32%
- Area feel: null

#8. Bluemont, Virginia

- Population: 7,641
- Median household income: $182,295
- Median home value: $789,707
- Median rent: $2,186
- Percent of people who own a home: 66%
- Area feel: null

#7. Mid-City, California

- Population: 16,938
- Median household income: $108,407
- Median home value: $1,029,245
- Median rent: $1,996
- Percent of people who own a home: 20%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#6. University South, California

- Population: 4,040
- Median household income: $131,190
- Median home value: $1,773,512
- Median rent: $2,186
- Percent of people who own a home: 34%
- Area feel: Dense urban

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#5. Great Neck Gardens, New York

- Population: 1,213
- Median household income: $218,603
- Median home value: $980,700
- Median rent: null
- Percent of people who own a home: 60%
- Area feel: Sparse suburban

#4. Brookline, Massachusetts

- Population: 59,223
- Median household income: $113,642
- Median home value: $1,006,200
- Median rent: $2,305
- Percent of people who own a home: 49%
- Area feel: Urban

#3. Ocean Park, California

- Population: 12,072
- Median household income: $96,580
- Median home value: $1,260,192
- Median rent: $1,856
- Percent of people who own a home: 20%
- Area feel: Dense urban

#2. Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, Virginia

- Population: 11,927
- Median household income: $116,508
- Median home value: $536,537
- Median rent: $2,051
- Percent of people who own a home: 26%
- Area feel: null

#1. Ardmore, Pennsylvania

- Population: 13,567
- Median household income: $102,092
- Median home value: $346,300
- Median rent: $1,469
- Percent of people who own a home: 64%
- Area feel: Urban suburban mix

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