Most Liveable MLS Cities Index: New York City is the best place to live among any city represented in MLS, with Boston also in the top three as the East Coast dominates.
Most Liveable MLS Cities Index: New York City is the best place to live among any city represented in MLS, with Boston also in the top three as the East Coast dominates.
New York City ranks as the best place to live across any city represented in MLS, based on new statistical research from the data team at Action Network.
With the MLS offseason now under way, after Inter Miami and Lionel Messi’s historical MLS Cup victory over Vancouver Whitecaps, attention will quickly shift to new signings ahead of the 2026 season.
MLS is also the most diverse league in US professional sport, with players representing more than 76 countries. Among foreign-born players, 36% come from Europe, 28% from South America and 11% from Africa.
With that kind of international mix, it is fair to expect teams to keep shopping in overseas markets before next year. So the obvious question comes up: if you are a player weighing an MLS move, which city would you actually want to live in?
The Most Liveable MLS Cities Index tries to answer that. Using eight metrics, including housing, education, safety and crime, and weather, it ranks all 28 MLS cities on overall liveability. On that scale, the Big Apple comes out as the best place to live.
The same research also highlights Los Angeles and Boston as top performers. All three cities score well on safety and crime. New York leads the way on healthcare, and Boston stands out for education.
If you are tracking MLS futures and offseason movement, you can compare welcome offers via Action Network’s best betting sites guide, or head to specific sportsbook pages like the FanDuel promo code and DraftKings promo code.
Most Liveable MLS Cities Index: Full Rankings
| Rank | Club | City | Housing | Jobs | Education | Safety + Crime | Transport | Healthcare | Weather | Sporting Rep. | Index Score |
| 1 | New York City FC + NY Red Bulls | New York City | 3.8 | 6.38 | 9.18 | 9.61 | 5.33 | 11.74 | 5.77 | 11.36 | 63.18 |
| 2 | LAFC + LA Galaxy | Los Angeles | 4.06 | 4.43 | 6.18 | 10.27 | 6.87 | 8.08 | 8.28 | 12.5 | 60.67 |
| 3 | New England Revolution | Boston | 2.99 | 7.84 | 11.68 | 10.39 | 8.33 | 7 | 5.6 | 5.68 | 59.52 |
| 4 | D.C. United | Washington DC | 5.79 | 8.71 | 11.51 | 6.12 | 10.13 | 2.8 | 6.11 | 7.95 | 59.12 |
| 5 | Chicago Fire | Chicago | 6.18 | 5.52 | 8.74 | 9.25 | 6.82 | 7.23 | 5.25 | 7.95 | 56.95 |
| 6 | Inter Miami | Miami | 8.39 | 5.91 | 5.99 | 10.37 | 6.83 | 4.48 | 9.18 | 5.68 | 56.83 |
| 7 | Austin | Austin | 9.49 | 6.48 | 11.86 | 10.11 | 6.18 | 4.9 | 7.42 | 0 | 56.44 |
| 8 | FC Dallas | Dallas | 8.63 | 5.45 | 5.36 | 8.49 | 6.63 | 6.27 | 7.61 | 6.82 | 55.25 |
| 9 | Atlanta United | Atlanta | 6.32 | 6.44 | 8.82 | 7.46 | 7.13 | 6.84 | 7.01 | 4.55 | 54.56 |
| 10 | San Diego FC | San Diego | 4.05 | 5.94 | 9.55 | 12.50 | 7.01 | 5.18 | 7.79 | 2.27 | 54.30 |
| 11 | Seattle Sounders | Seattle | 4.29 | 8.22 | 11.78 | 5.50 | 7.32 | 4.97 | 4.81 | 6.82 | 53.71 |
| 12 | Colorado Rapids | Denver | 6.06 | 8.13 | 10.36 | 4.11 | 6.83 | 4.27 | 6.58 | 4.55 | 50.88 |
| 13 | San Jose Earthquakes | San Jose | 0.3 | 10.64 | 6.25 | 9.83 | 7.11 | 6.96 | 7.49 | 2.27 | 50.84 |
| 14 | Minnesota United | Minneapolis | 6.39 | 7.11 | 9.78 | 2.32 | 8.17 | 4.82 | 5.12 | 6.82 | 50.53 |
| 15 | Real Salt Lake | Salt Lake City | 7.44 | 6.39 | 7.83 | 4.57 | 7.83 | 5.49 | 6.73 | 3.41 | 49.68 |
| 16 | Orlando City | Orlando | 9.58 | 4.82 | 5.43 | 6.03 | 6.66 | 5.96 | 8.66 | 2.27 | 49.42 |
| 17 | Houston Dynamo | Houston | 9.25 | 4.58 | 5.56 | 3.50 | 6.58 | 7.18 | 7.28 | 4.55 | 48.47 |
| 18 | Nashville SC | Nashville | 8.44 | 6.83 | 7.78 | 5.00 | 9.38 | 2.3 | 6.16 | 2.27 | 48.15 |
| 19 | Philadelphia Union | Philadelphia | 6.71 | 5.02 | 8.77 | 5.00 | 7.07 | 4.34 | 6.57 | 4.55 | 48.02 |
| 20 | Toronto | Toronto | 6.24 | 0.73 | 9.39 | 5.66 | 6.24 | 7.49 | 3.96 | 6.82 | 46.55 |
| 21 | Columbus Crew | Columbus | 6.86 | 5.08 | 7.74 | 10.31 | 6.52 | 1.68 | 5.69 | 1.14 | 45.01 |
| 22 | Charlotte | Charlotte | 6.62 | 5.63 | 4.64 | 7.45 | 5.86 | 4.03 | 6.88 | 3.41 | 44.53 |
| 23 | SC Montreal | Montreal | 6.82 | 2.85 | 8.80 | 4.40 | 6.27 | 7.23 | 3.49 | 4.55 | 44.41 |
| 24 | Portland Timbers | Portland | 6.42 | 6.03 | 6.13 | 5.26 | 7.19 | 3.48 | 5.22 | 2.27 | 41.99 |
| 25 | Sporting KC | Kansas City | 6.58 | 5.51 | 5.19 | 5.15 | 6.23 | 1.7 | 7.23 | 3.41 | 41.00 |
| 26 | FC Cincinnati | Cincinnati | 6.26 | 4.91 | 6.38 | 6.44 | 7.65 | 1.72 | 5.19 | 2.27 | 40.82 |
| 27 | Vancouver Whitecaps | Vancouver | 6.25 | 3.08 | 9.33 | 3.49 | 5.34 | 4.8 | 3.73 | 4.55 | 40.57 |
| 28 | St. Louis City | St. Louis | 7.11 | 5.09 | 1.92 | 0 | 7.47 | 1.53 | 6.02 | 2.27 | 31.42 |
How Does the Most Liveable MLS Cities Index Work?
The aim of the Most Liveable MLS Cities Index is to rank the cities where each MLS team is based, and show which places are most likely to attract wantaway soccer players from overseas in the offseason.
The 28 cities were chosen based on the markets represented in MLS. For teams that play outside a major city, such as New England Revolution, the nearest major city was used.
Each city is scored on eight criteria. Every category is worth a standardized score out of 12.5, for a maximum total index score of 100. The categories are Housing, Jobs, Education, Safety + Crime, Transport, Healthcare, Weather and Sporting Representation.
- Housing: Based on average house price, housing availability to buy and rent, and the average two-bed monthly rental cost.
- Jobs: Looks at the unemployment rate and average yearly salary in each MLS city.
- Education: Ranks how educated each city’s population is, and the quality of its universities using the World University Ranking of its top-performing university.
- Safety + Crime: Ranks each city based on total crime rate and violent crime rate.
- Transport: Ranks cities on the quality and effectiveness of their public transit systems using the Redfin US Transit Score, plus how bad traffic is based on how long a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) journey takes on average.
- Healthcare: Uses life expectancy in each city and the number of acute care hospitals within the metropolitan area or county.
- Weather: Ranks cities on total possible sunlight, daily mean temperature, yearly precipitation and their FEMA risk score, given the risk of earthquakes and hurricanes in some parts of North America.
- Sporting Representation: Ranks cities by the number of sports teams that compete in the NBA, NFL, CFL, MLS/soccer, MLB, WNBA, NWSL, PWHL, NHL and USL.
Housing
| Rank | City | Average House Price (USD) | Housing Availability (months supply) | Rental Housing Availability | Avg Two-Bed Rental Cost (USD) | Index Score |
| 1 | Orlando | 410,000 | 6.9 | 13.2% | 2,143 | 9.58 |
| 2 | Austin | 220,000 | 5.6 | 12.6% | 1,992 | 9.49 |
| 3 | Houston | 331,000 | 5.2 | 12.1% | 1,705 | 9.25 |
| 4 | Dallas | 405,000 | 5.5 | 11.6% | 2,119 | 8.63 |
| 5 | Nashville | 490,000 | 5 | 11.4% | 1,880 | 8.44 |
The first category in the Most Liveable MLS Cities Index is housing, so price and how much is actually on the market in each city. For anyone relocating, that's usually near the top of the list, so the most accessible markets land the best scores.
Orlando, home of Orlando City in the Eastern Conference, comes out on top. The Florida city doesn't have the cheapest housing in MLS, with an average house price of $410,000, but there's plenty of stock. Orlando has an estimated 6.9-month supply of homes for sale, and 13.2% of all rentals are currently available.
The rest of the top five leans heavily toward the south. Austin, Houston and Dallas, all in Texas, rank second, third and fourth, withNashville in fifth. The three Texas cities offer cheaper housing to buy or rent than Orlando, but they're edged out because there's less inventory to choose from.
Jobs
| Rank | City | Unemployment Rate | Average Wage (USD) | Index Score |
| 1 | San Jose | 4.7% | 82,470 | 10.64 |
| 2 | Washington DC | 4.3% | 68,430 | 8.71 |
| 3 | Seattle | 4.6% | 67,510 | 8.22 |
| 4 | Denver | 3.7% | 61,110 | 8.13 |
| 5 | Boston | 4.5% | 64,620 | 7.84 |
This category looks at job prospects in each city. A player signing for an MLS club might not be checking local wage data, but their partner or family probably is.
San Jose, home to the Earthquakes in Silicon Valley, takes first place. Its average yearly wage is at least 20% higher than any other city with an MLS team. On unemployment, Denver, representing the Colorado Rapids, is the standout among the top five with a rate as low as 3.7%. The lowest unemployment rate in the entire index belongs to Nashville, where only 3% of the population is registered as unemployed.
Education
| Rank | City | Most Educated Cities Score | World University Ranking | Index Score |
| 1 | Austin | 79.51 | 36 | 11.86 |
| 2 | Seattle | 78.92 | 26 | 11.78 |
| 3 | Boston | 77.99 | 1 | 11.68 |
| 4 | Washington DC | 81.42 | 221 | 11.51 |
| 5 | Denver | 74.57 | 144 | 10.36 |
Austin sits at the top for education. The score reflects how educated the city’s population is and where its leading university ranks in the World University Ranking. Given that framing, Boston showing up near the top again makes sense. It's home to Harvard, the world’s top-rated university, and that pulls its education score up.
Safety + Crime
| Rank | City | Crime Rate / 100,000 | Violent Crime Rate / 100,000 | Index Score |
| 1 | San Diego | 2,092 | 412 | 12.5 |
| 2 | Boston | 2,653 | 628 | 10.39 |
| 3 | Miami | 3,478 | 473 | 10.37 |
| 4 | Columbus | 2,842 | 604 | 10.31 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 2,223 | 728 | 10.27 |
Safety is a big part of whether a city feels livable or not, so this category highlights the safest MLS cities across the United States and Canada.
San Diego takes first place, with the lowest overall crime rate and violent crime rate per 100,000 residents among any of the 28 cities in the index. Miami is another strong performer, home to Lionel Messi and MLS Cup champions Inter Miami, with a violent crime rate of just 473 per 100,000 people.
Los Angeles, which hosts both LAFC and LA Galaxy, rounds out the top five with a crime rate of 2,223 per 100,000 residents.
Transport
| Rank | City | Transit Score | Travel Time / 10km | Index Score |
| 1 | Washington DC | 100 | 18:35 | 10.13 |
| 2 | Nashville | 75 | 14:17 | 9.38 |
| 3 | Boston | 72 | 16:51 | 8.33 |
| 4 | Minneapolis | 55 | 12:49 | 8.17 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City | 44 | 10:56 | 7.83 |
Getting around town matters too. This category combines public transit quality with traffic levels, measured by how long it takes to travel 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles, in each city.
Washington DC comes out on top, with the strongest transit score anywhere in the index. That puts DC United’s home city first in this category. Salt Lake City posts the best traffic numbers. A 10km trip there takes just 10 minutes and 56 seconds on average, so getting across town for training or a game is a little less stressful.
Healthcare
| Rank | City | Life Expectancy | Hospitals | Index Score |
| 1 | New York City | 83.3 | 60 | 11.74 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 82 | 35 | 8.08 |
| 3 | Toronto | 82 | 30 | 7.49 |
| 4 | Chicago | 78.7 | 43 | 7.23 |
| 5 | Montreal | 82.6 | 25 | 7.23 |
Healthcare can be a deciding factor for players with families, and here the biggest markets rise to the top. Each city is judged on life expectancy and how many hospitals are located in its metropolitan area or county.
New York City is a clear No. 1. It has the highest life expectancy in the index at 83.3 years and 60 hospitals in total, more than any other city in the study. Los Angeles and Toronto land in second and third. Both share the second-highest life expectancy of any city in the index, which keeps them near the top of this category.
Weather
| Rank | City | % Possible Sunshine | Daily Mean Temp (F) | Avg Yearly Precipitation (in) | FEMA Risk Index | Index Score |
| 1 | Miami | 71 | 77.4 | 67.4 | 99.8 | 9.18 |
| 2 | Orlando | 70 | 72.9 | 51.5 | 93.2 | 8.66 |
| 3 | Los Angeles | 73 | 65.8 | 14.3 | 100 | 8.28 |
| 4 | San Diego | 69 | 64.8 | 9.8 | 94.1 | 7.79 |
| 5 | Dallas | 64 | 68 | 39.3 | 95.5 | 7.61 |
Weather is simple. People tend to prefer places with more sun, comfortable temperatures and fewer serious weather risks.
Miami and Orlando, both in Florida, claim the top two spots. Miami sees 71% of possible sunshine across the year and Orlando is close behind at 70%, and both cities have daily mean temperatures above 70°F. Los Angeles ranks third. It scores well on sunshine and temperature but is held back slightly by a FEMA risk index score of 100, reflecting its exposure to earthquakes and other extreme events.
Sporting representation
| Rank | City | Major League Sports Teams | Index Score |
| 1 | Los Angeles | 12 | 12.5 |
| 2 | New York City | 11 | 11.36 |
| 3 | Chicago | 8 | 7.95 |
| 4 | Washington DC | 8 | 7.95 |
| 5 | Toronto | 7 | 6.82 |
Finally, a city’s sports identity couldn't be left behind. This plays a huge role in how it feels to live there. Every market in this study is tied to an MLS club, but fans and players know the local picture includes far more than soccer. That's why this category counts how many major league sports teams each city has.
Los Angeles earns a perfect score. It's home to LAFC, LA Galaxy, the LA Dodgers, LA Angels, LA Rams, LA Chargers, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Angel City FC and the LA Sparks. New York City is just behind with 11 major league teams. Chicago and Washington DC each have eight, and Toronto comes in with seven.
Sources
- MLS diversity data: Institute for Immigration Research
- Housing data: CREA, Redfin for USA (includes metro area), the US Census, CMHC Rental Market Report
- Employment data: US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Statistics Canada
- Education data: WalletHub most educated cities, Fraser Institute Report Card – CA data taken as average from school rankings in FIRC and CWUR World University Rankings (city ranked by its best university)
- Crime data: The FBI, US Census and Statistics Canada
- Transport data: Transit Score (Redfin) and TomTom Traffic Index
- Healthcare data: County Health Rankings
- Weather data: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
