Annapolis is historic and charming. It’s got great bars and restaurants, abundant shopping, the Naval Academy, St. John’s College, the water, and of course, the State House — the oldest continually used state Capitol building in the nation.
The city is, understandably, a tourist magnet.
But how is Annapolis as a place to live, compared to the 49 other state capitals?
The answer, according to the financial news website WalletHub, is so-so.
“State capitals aren’t just for lawmaking,” WalletHub notes. “Often, they’re thriving cities with a lot of economic and cultural value. In fact, they can be some of the best places to live in America. But not all state capitals are created equal.”
The website used 49 metrics to determine livability, breaking them down into four broad categories: 1) Affordability, 2) Economic Well-Being, 3) Quality of Education & Health and 4) Quality of Life. Using these measures, WalletHub determined that Annapolis is the 20th most livable state capital in the U.S.
The top 10 state capitals to live in, by the website’s account: Austin, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; Madison, Wis.; Denver; Lincoln, Neb.; Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta; Salt Lake City; Concord, N.H.; and Oklahoma City.
The bottom five: Trenton, N.J.; Charleston, W.Va.; Carson City, Nev.; Baton Rouge, La.; and Hartford, Conn.
Among capital cities, Annapolis, according to WalletHub, is 23rd when it comes to affordability; 33rd in “economic well-being;” 17th in quality of education and health; and 18th in quality of life.
The city is No. 5 of the capital cities in highest median household income (adjusted for cost of living) and No. 4 for best health conditions.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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