Why Was This New England City Ranked Among Best for Quality of Life?

Here in New England, we know we're lucky to live in one of the best parts of the US.

Countless studies have complimented our region over the years. WalletHub featured eight New England towns in their list of the nation's best small cities. New England has also been praised for having some of the most underrated destinations, hottest zip codes, best places to visit, and more.

But sometimes, shoutouts are directed our way that, while appreciated, make no sense.

Case in point with this study from US News, revealing the 25 best places in the US to live for quality of life. Various factors were considered in determining the findings, including "crime, quality and availability of health care, quality of education and average commute time."

Coming in at #1 was Ann Arbor, MI, a place this writer knows nothing about and can't comment on.

Portland, Maine, came in at #4, a respectable verdict for a city with a growing (good) reputation.

And then there's #5, a city some might think is mistakenly ranked: Boston, Massachusetts. 

Look, considering the fact that two of the study's factors were healthcare and education, it makes sense that Boston ranked high on the list. But one of the other factors, as mentioned, was commuting.

*sigh* Really?

Any and everyone will tell you that commuting to Boston is a nightmare. Whenever this writer drives near the city, she feels like she's about to witness a car accident every five seconds. Traffic is horrendous, and don't get us started on the MBTA system. Some parts are fine. Others? Not so much.

And then there's the cost. When yours truly visited Boston last month, $30 was spent on a coffee and tiny sandwich. Obviously, this is not a big deal if you're making the occasional visit. But if you live in the city or one of its many surrounding neighborhoods, you need to either make a considerably high salary, or be extra careful with your spending. For the average Joe, living comfortably in the city is no easy feat.

Boston is by no means a bad place. It truly has a lot going for it, and we'd be here all day if we talked about the amazing things the city has to offer. But when it comes to quality of life? That's where it arguably has something to be desired.

What do you think?