Silver Spring, Maryland

Ranked No. 3 on last year’s list, Silver Spring takes the top seat this year. The Washington, D.C., suburb offers local charm with the convenience of city life, just six miles away from the nation’s capital—a quick commute via the Washington Metro or MARC train.

Silver Spring stands out among its neighboring suburbs for its Arts & Entertainment District, home to 100-plus arts and humanities organizations, entertainment venues, and the like. Residents can watch an independent film at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center or see an artist perform live at the Fillmore, an iconic music venue that’s hosted everyone from Aretha Franklin to Janis Joplin. Colorful murals and vibrant community centers help bring the area to life.

In the downtown business district, there are more than 150 restaurants boasting a variety of cuisines. There’s also plenty to do for the outdoors-inclined, like biking in Sligo Creek Park, hiking Rock Creek Trail, or playing a round of golf at the Sligo Creek course. In the winter, there’s an outdoor skating rink to enjoy.

The area is rich in diversity: The probability that two people chosen at random will be a different race or ethnicity from each other is 73%, per the U.S. Census. And families considering moving to the area may soon luck out with a slightly more affordable housing market; home prices are down 4% compared with last year, per Redfin. 

Overall, Silver Spring has the highest Community Well-Being Index score from Sharecare, which analyzes over 600 health risk factors in communities across the U.S., on the list at 85 out of 100.