Only One Michigan County Makes Top 25 List of Best to Live In

When you count them all up, there are more than 3,000 counties (or county equivalents) in the United States - 3,142 to be exact.

So landing on a list of "America's Best 25 Counties to Live In" is something of an accomplishment.

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A recent survey placed exactly one Michigan county among the nation's Top 25, based on a variety of criteria including its public schools, housing, nightlife, diversity, and employment statistics.

Which county do you think it was?

We can probably cross Wayne County off right away, right? Detroit's home county is not viewed by many as a desirable place to choose to live.

And if employment statistics are being considered, that probably also rules out Flint's Genesee County and a slew of others.

According to Niche, Michigan's best county to live in (and the 22nd-best nationwide) is Washtenaw County, home to Ann Arbor.

RELATED: Michiganders Live Longer in These Counties

Washtenaw County's high marks were fueled by "A+" ratings for its public schools and health and fitness scores. Washtenaw also rated well for its suitability for families - 1st among Michigan counties, and 35th overall in the nation.

Washtenaw County got "A" or "A-" ratings for its nightlife, diversity, average commute times, jobs and outdoor activities. Housing got a "B+", while cost of living rated a "C" (not surprisingly). Washtenaw's lowest score was its "C-" for weather.

For comparison's sake, the nation's highest rated county was Los Alamos County in New Mexico. Located to the northwest of Santa Fe, Los Alamos County saw mostly "A" and "A+" ratings across the considered categories.

Other counties in the Great Lakes region that performed well include Hamilton County, Indiana (north of Indianapolis) at #6, DuPage County, Illinois (west of Chicago) at #8, and Ozaukee County, Wisconsin (north of Milwaukee) at #24.

Most of Niche's Top 25 Best Counties to Live In for 2023 were in the Mid-Atlantic or the South. No county further west than Los Alamos County, New Mexico, made the list.

Want to take a deeper dive into the rankings? You can do that here.