Salisbury was ranked as one of the Best Places to Live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report which looked at 150 metro areas in the country.

The city came in at 90 out of 150 in the publication’s annual listing. It also was ranked 26^th in the Best Places to Retire and 13^th in Fastest Growing Places.

“It's rewarding to see our name listed among the best communities in the country, because it means that all of our hard work is seen and appreciated not just here at home, but on the national stage, as well,” said City Administrator Julia Glanz. “The factors for which we were recognized in the US News & World Report article are all indicative of the comfortable and desirable quality of life that we have to offer."

The rankings are based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there.

“Salisbury continues to grow as the hub of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware metropolitan area, it has never lost touch with the small-town feel fitting of a place that remains predominantly rural,” according to U.S. News. “Despite its growth over the years, Salisbury is still a place where people will pull over to help a stranger broken down on the side of the road or rally for a community cause.”

The publication cited Salisbury University, the National Folk Festival, the cost of living, proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and numerous recreational activities as some of the reasons the city and its surrounding area are good places to live and retire.

The city has seen growth in recent years, especially with new development in the Downtown area. Projects such as The Ross, the Powell Building, the City Center rehabilitation and the remodeling of One Plaza East are under way or recently completed. Other new development is planned at the Salisbury Marina, 500 Riverside Drive and on at least two former city parking lots that have been sold to developers.

The city also has just completed a four-year Main Street revitalization project that included underground utility work and aesthetic improvements at the street level. Nearby, a new traffic circle was completed to handle the complicated intersection of Riverside Drive, Carroll Street, Mill Street and Camden Avenue.

Salisbury also completed work on a $1.5 million renovation of the Riverwalk that included a new 650-seat amphitheater. 

Outside of the Downtown area, there have been new apartment complexes to the north and new single-family housing in subdivisions off of Beaglin Park Drive. More housing is planned on the former Salisbury Mall property on the east side of the city.

U.S. News listed the City Park, Salisbury Zoo, the Naylor Mill Forest Trail, Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex, the Delmarva Shorebirds, Salisbury Marathon, Sea Gull Century and the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art among the recreational and cultural attractions.

It also noted that the median sale price for a single-family home in Salisbury is lower than the national average, but outside of Salisbury proper the average sales price is slightly higher than the national average.

While most transportation in the area is by personal vehicles, the region also offers public bus service and the Salisbury-Wicomico Regional Airport offers American Airlines flights to hubs in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Philadelphia. The Greyhound bus line also maintains a stop in Salisbury.

“Over the years, the city has made greater efforts to offer and encourage alternative transportation to cars, especially bicycles. Bike-share programs have been offered to residents, and officials continue to improve roadways and create more bike lanes for riders,” the magazine said. 

The average commute times in the region is 21.2 minutes, compared to the national average of 26.6 minutes.

Salisbury and Baltimore were the only Maryland cities in the U.S. News rankings. Baltimore was 117th in Best Places to Live, 76th in Best Places to Retire and 7th in Most Dangerous Places.