You love MB. We love MB.
Each day we're here in Manhattan Beach, talking about Manhattan Beach like we always do.
So if there's something about Manhattan Beach to brag about, let's all do it together.
The year 2020 has begun with MB earning top ranks as a city to live in, twice over.
That chart-topping feat was accomplished this week in a "special report" published by the online magazine 24/7 Wall Street entitled, "America's 50 Best Cities to Live."
The authors said they had used "over two dozen metrics related to affordability, economy, standard of living, and community." And to rank, you first had to be best in the area: "In order to ensure geographic diversity, we only considered the highest ranking city in each county." (Here's their methodology; it's actually interesting.)
So you could say MB won LA County first, then advanced to the finals, where we took the trophy.
On this rather seriously calculated and well-presented list, MB is not the only California city nor the only California coastal city.
We edged out Solana Beach and Newport Beach (#7 and #8), Santa Barbara and Monterey (#17 and #18), along with Northern California towns Piedmont (#5), Burlingame (#11), Palo Alto (#21), Orinda (#28) and someplace called San Francisco, which was so low-ranked at #45 we didn't bother to check where it's located.
We'll paste the complete list of cities at the bottom of this post. (The article that we're linking to is set up to have you click through a few cities at a time; this link brings you straight to the top 5.)
In all, it's quite an honor to wake up thinking this is a pretty nice town we're in, then to see some scientific data to prove it.
Quick, bookmark 24/7 Wall Street as a little gesture of thanks.
But it wasn't just that one website that called MB super.
Parade magazine (everyone knows Parade!) this past weekend ranked MB and sister cities Hermosa and Redondo Beach as top "longevity hotspots."
That's a way of saying we sport a healthy environment and active lifestyles around these parts.
The weekend article was called, "Want to Live to 100? Living in One of These 8 U.S. Cities Will Help!"
The beach cities earned this ranking in part because of a nearly decade-long association with the Blue Zones Project. The cities together earned a Blue Zones designation in 2016, after making progress with a series of goals related to healthier food options, reduced smoking, greater support for walkability and bike-ability, and programs in the schools. (Beach Cities Health District heads up the Blue Zone efforts locally.)
Now, there's no proof yet of anyone living to 100 thanks to the Blue Zones project, but give it all a little time.
What we know for sure is that our city/area has just topped a short list that also includes towns in Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Florida and Iowa.
These recent accolades can go in the city's trophy case, along with, for instance, the 2011 designation by Forbes magazine that ranked MB #1 nationwide among cities with the "Best School Districts for Your Housing Buck."
And there have been more awards in between.
So we guess you're feeling pretty good about Manhattan Beach around now.
What's that? You don't live here yet/anymore? Maybe we should talk.
There are homes for sale here.
Or you might want to look in some of the other top-ranked cities to live in, though you will need to consider a Dakota, parts of Ohio and the midwest, a stately suburb of Chicago like Winnetka (#2) or Sandy, Utah.
Here's the whole list of 50 best cities from 24/7 Wall Street, lowest to highest:
50. Bismarck, North Dakota
49. Brewer, Maine
48. West Fargo, North Dakota
47. Rye, New York
46. Plover, Wisconsin
45. San Francisco, California
44. Lowell, Arkansas
43. Sandy, Utah
42. Millbrook, Alabama
41. Atoka, Tennessee
40. Lone Tree, Colorado
39. Denver, Colorado
38. Mahomet, Illinois
37. Palm Beach, Florida
36. Canandaigua, New York
35. Buda, Texas
34. Traverse City, Michigan
33. Kendallville, Indiana
32. Beachwood, Ohio
31. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
30. Dover, Ohio
29. Rochester, Minnesota
28. Orinda, California
27. Hermitage, Pennsylvania
26. Belgrade, Montana
25. New Albany, Ohio
24. Bridgeport, West Virginia
23. Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan
22. Cambridge, Massachusetts
21. Palo Alto, California
20. Perryville, Missouri
19. Ladue, Missouri
18. Monterey, California
17. Santa Barbara, California
16. Bellaire, Texas
15. Key Biscayne, Florida
14. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
13. Hoboken, New Jersey
12. Lake Oswego, Oregon
11. Burlingame, California
10. Greenwood Village, Colorado
9. Mercer Island, Washington
8. Newport Beach, California
7. Solana Beach, California
6. Paradise Valley, Arizona
5. Piedmont, California
4. Highland Park, Texas
3. Hanover, New Hampshire
2. Winnetka, Illinois
1. Manhattan Beach, California
