Fall River among the 100 best US cities for another year. But our ranking fell: here's why

A website that ranks small to mid-sized cities across America has, for the second year in a row, listed Fall River among the 100 best cities in the country thanks to its parks, restaurants and colleges.

But Fall River took a slight dip in its rankings from last year.

“The waterfront community of Fall River … is New England at its finest," wrote Livability.com. “The city of nearly 95,000 is culturally diverse, combining Old World charm with a modern urban atmosphere.”

This year, Fall River landed at No. 86 on the top 100, down just slightly from last year’s spot of 80.

Let’s look at why they think Fall River is so awesome — and what other local cities made the cut.

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What did Livability say about Fall River?

The city ranks high for its amenities: things like parks, varieties of activities, restaurants and so on. Fall River has long been known for its ethnic restaurants — Portuguese, Chinese, Polish and Lebanese cuisine has had a home here for ages. There are multiple Olmsted parks in town, the Quequechan River Rail Trail and Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve for getting back to nature. And with summer here, there are multiple outdoor festivals on the horizon.

The site also ranked Fall River's economic score at a respectable level — its metrics prioritize “thriving local economies with strong employment opportunities and income growth.”

“Besides the interesting history and culture, education ranks high for Fall River, with easy access to schools such as Bristol Community College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth,” the site adds.

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What restaurants and fun things does Fall River have?

“History buffs love Fall River,” the site says, highlighting our past with Lizzie Borden (of course) and the Historical Society.

But it also gives shoutouts to the Portuguese culture, with nods to Portugalia Marketplace and Caldeiras Restaurant. Among other notable spots in the city are the Tipsy Toboggan, the Narrows Center and, what it describes as the “best coffee shop in Fall River,” the Pink Bean — which closed its Purchase Street location in January.

How does the site calculate its rankings?

Livability surveys cities with populations from 75,000 to 500,000. It uses a ranking system of 1,000 points, based on eight general categories. Within those categories, it looks at issues like housing affordability, air quality, tax rates, walkability, life expectancy and more.

If Fall River is so great, why did its ranking drop?

It actually didn’t change too much. This year, Fall River scored 706. Last year, it scored 716. It’s a drop, but not too bad.

In terms of health, housing costs and safety, Fall River actually gained a few points from last year.

But Fall River’s transportation score dropped quite a bit, from 71 points to 57. This time last year, Fall River was supposed to have commuter rail access to Boston by now. It’s unclear when trains will start rolling.

What cities did Fall River beat?

Officially, legally, Fall River can say it’s a better place to live than Santa Fe, Tampa, Florida, and Fort Lauderdale, and no one can stop us.

Crucially, Fall River also beat out our neighbor Brockton, 90th on the top 100 list. According to the Livability score, Fall River scored 706 points and Brockton had 705. Every point counts.

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What other area cities are on the Livability top 100 list?

No other SouthCoast cities made the cut. Rhode Island was well represented by Warwick (No. 15) and Cranston (No. 33). Massachusetts’ top city was Lynn (No. 73), with Worcester not far behind (No. 78).

What was the best city on the list, and can we learn from it?

Top of the list was Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. It’s got whopping scores in terms of housing costs, health and the economy. A median household income of over $151,000 doesn’t hurt, either.

The city is home to corporate offices of more than 50 companies like GEICO and Liberty Mutual. It’s also built an Arts & Design District that mixes cultural attractions, housing and dining in a walkable space.

Dan Medeiros can be reached at [email protected]. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Website ranks Fall River among 100 best American cities