Four Colorado cities rank among top 20 'best places to live' in country

Four Colorado cities rank among the top places to live in the Unites States, according to an analysis by U.S. News and World Report.

Boulder took the top spot on the publication's list, which ranked the 150 most populous metro areas in the nation.

"To make the top of the list, a place had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life," the report said.

Three other Colorado cities made the list, with Colorado Springs at No. 6, Denver at No. 14 and Fort Collins at No. 17.

Click here for the methodology used.

U.S. News and World Report's top 20:

• Boulder
• Raleigh & Durham, N.C.
• Huntsville, Ala.
• Fayetteville, Ark.
• Austin, Texas
• Colorado Springs
• Naples, Fla.
• Portland, Maine
• Sarasota, Fla.
• Portland, Ore.
• Boise, Idaho
• Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Denver
• San Francisco
• Madison, Wis.
• Fort Collins
• Melbourne, Fla.
• Seattle
• Charlotte, N.C.