GREENSBORO, N.C. — U.S. News and World Report dropped its yearly ranking on the best places to live. Greensboro's impression on the country is growing.
The report last year had the city ranked outside the top 70 places to live in the United States. Now, Greensboro has jumped all the way up to 23.
With a population of about 300,000 people, Greensboro is still flying under the radar as a medium-sized city but that's why some people who live here — love it.
Regardless of any ranking, lots of people said they wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It wasn't hard for WFMY News 2's Nixon Norman to find out why after a stroll downtown.
"We have everything that you could ever want and need in a big city, in a small version," Owner of Boho Salon in Downtown Greensboro, Kenny Kallam said.
There are plenty of colleges here and some students have chosen to stay after graduation, like Aubree Bachus who went to North Carolina A&T.
"I want to apply to UNCG for their master's program, they have the number one masters program in the Triad. I think that Greensboro has a lot of opportunities for young students, especially if you want to go to college," Bachus said.
It's a place where artists like Ellary Goas, whose from the area, can thrive, "I'm an artist and I love seeing all the art around Greensboro, it just a beautiful place to live with beautiful people."
Joseph Hill has lived in several other cities but said there's no place like home, "you get a lot of people coming from all over the country, you know? I've met people from all over just being downtown, having a drink or something."
He said he's watched Greensboro grow over the past 20 years, so has Kallam.
"I knew this side of the railroad tracks [where his salon is located downtown] was really gonna come of age at some point and the salon became available and I snatched it up, we got good parking and there's always something going on down here," Kallam said.
Fellow downtown business owner, Tamara Cunningham of Tower Dogs said, there's nowhere else she would rather work and live, "my customers and the community and citizens of Greensboro, have been very kind to me and for that, I am very thankful."
Among the factors for the rating: the city's crime rate. It's actually higher here than other similar sized cities but the cost of living is lower.