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The 10 Cities Where Americans Most Want To Live: Harris Interactive

The Huffington Post     First Posted: 11/10/11 02:07 PM ET   Updated: 11/11/11 11:52 AM ET

New York might just be the most divisive city in the country.

On the one hand, the Big Apple is the city Americans say they most want to live in, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive. But that same survey found that New York is also the least desirable city for Americans. The poll asked 2,463 adults which city they'd choose to live in outside their home, and the answers were all over the map.

New York continued its 10-year run as the most favored city this year, but there are some cities that are on the upswing. Dallas surged to the 4th most popular city after not even making it into the top 15 last year, according to the poll. The boost may be attributed to the Dallas's increasing popularity among young adults. A recent analysis by the Brookings Insitution found that the Texan city saw the third largest influx of young people between 2008 and 2010. Seattle, which came in at number three on the Harris poll, may have also benefited from its popularity among American youth.

But respondents to the poll definitely didn't choose cities based on relative cheapness. Three of New York's five boroughs count among the top five most expensive cities in the U.S., according to a recent study by the Council for Community and Economic Research. San Francisco, which came in sixth on the Harris poll list, ranks as the fourth most expensive city.

Though some Americans may fantasize about moving to their dream city, migration is down overall, as most Americans are staying put because of the poor economy. For 18-to-34-year-old adults, long-distance moves fell 4.4 percent last year. For college graduates, who count among the most likely to move to new cities, migration fell 2.4 percent.

Here are the top 10 cities Americans would most like to live in, according to Harris Interactive:

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New York might just be the most divisive city in the country. On the one hand, the Big Apple is the city Americans say they most want to live in, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive...
New York might just be the most divisive city in the country. On the one hand, the Big Apple is the city Americans say they most want to live in, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Marcospinelli
an old liberal Democrat, a 'New Deal'-Democrat
11:23 PM on 11/19/2011
I've spend time all of these cities as well as lived in four of them (and agree that they're great cities).  

However, all suffered to the point of being unbearably congested from citizens boasting of how great their cities were.  

So forgive me for not sharing where I currently live, which is the greatest city of them all. :)
02:13 PM on 11/17/2011
No Atlanta?!
CindySanFrancisco
No going back, keep moving forward.
12:59 PM on 11/14/2011
Love my city of course! I have been to over 35 countries so far and still always come back to this City. One of the most beautiful in the world.
frank1946
Tell the Truth
07:36 AM on 11/14/2011
New York has seen better Days ! Not much future to the Big Apple.

Denver looks like a Winner to me !

Dallas is cool but too Hot, Summer is now unbearable.
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GirlOutWest
I hope to be the person my dog thinks I am.
09:03 PM on 11/13/2011
I vote for Denver...it's sunny a lot and the mountains are amazing.
05:53 PM on 11/13/2011
Denver!! Day trips to the most beautiful hiking and skiing in the world. Looking toward the Rockies on my westbound commute everyday is a sight to behold! And the people are pretty friendly here, too.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
madchen515
Liberal, that's all
08:38 PM on 11/12/2011
I live in San Diego now and have lived in New York City as well. No way would I leave San Diego again :)
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06:08 PM on 11/12/2011
I live in Seattle. Right now it's a gorgeous monochromatic grey with constant rain and gust of bone dampening winds. Still, I love it here!
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
05:38 PM on 11/12/2011
DALLAS? People want to live in Dallas, TEXAS?! Dallas, Oregon, maybe, but no thanks to the pollution capitol of the US.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mollymac
nice girls seldom get the corner office
07:31 PM on 11/13/2011
right?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
J0E1
Phil Hill 2012
05:02 PM on 11/12/2011
sad to see Denver drop. Moved from the East Coast and I'll never go back.
03:32 PM on 11/12/2011
funny how small towns never get mentioned. i enjoy living in a community where you can call everyone by name. crime, what crime don't even have a police department. traffic, some but not enough for so much as one traffic light. never worry to lock doors, when bad things happen everyone helps out. clean air, beautiful mountain views every single day. surrounded by farms and ranches so what we don't grow our neighbors do. schools that teach, that aren't over crowded, need no security of police on duty. we may not have the "cultural" attractions larger urban areas do but we as do millions of other americans prefer small and rural because it to us there just is no better place on earth to live and raise your family. as for me personally, i grew up rural but have lived in many large cities and not just in this country either and that is what brought me back to my roots, home sweet home,on the maps but off the grid.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
J0E1
Phil Hill 2012
05:02 PM on 11/12/2011
"cities" was the key word here
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
05:48 PM on 11/12/2011
I'm with you. I live in a small community on an island with no stop lights, no fast food joints, little crime (no, it's not perfect, but there's really not much around here), and where we look out for each other's kids. If I see so-and-so doing something he or she shouldn't, I have no problem telling their parents about it - and expect them to do the same. People hitchhike here as a way of transportation (no public transportation, that's for sure), and I don't lock the house or car, and often leave my purse in the car as well. The school is small, and it was the best place for my kid to get an education, especially as the school came up with a Latin class, and then found a way for her to study Japanese. Small does not equal lack of possibilities for kids. This community knows it's a community, and works hard for things we all believe in.

PS - We also had our own Occupy happening last Saturday - all 12 of us. We didn't picket the bank, as it's a community bank and we like them. LOL
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cegrubbs
12:29 PM on 11/12/2011
Dallas? must be the chamber of commerce.

Pasadena is fine if you can get out of town during the annual fires in the hills.
05:42 PM on 11/11/2011
I would never live anywhere with BSL. I'm talking to you Denver.
08:19 PM on 11/11/2011
British sign language?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
J0E1
Phil Hill 2012
05:05 PM on 11/12/2011
I think it's some kind of beer...
05:49 PM on 11/13/2011
Ex-husband or partner??
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grayplace
Life's a dream within a dream.
04:03 PM on 11/11/2011
Seattle's a great city.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TheFlowerChild
03:11 PM on 11/11/2011
Henderson/Las Vegas, Denver, Marina Del Rey, Portland Maine.
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
05:39 PM on 11/12/2011
Portland, Oregon!