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Portland Named One Of The Best Places To Live In The United States

Robert F. Bukaty
/
AP Photo
A woman crosses Congress Street in Portland, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Portland, Maine.

U.S. News and World Report has listed Portland as one of the25 best places to live in the United States.

The city ranked number 23, just below Greenville, South Carolina and just above Salt Lake City. No other New England city made the top 25.

"Of all the lists I think we've been put on or profiled on recently, I definitely think that this one carries a little more weight than some of them," says city spokesperson Jessica Grondin.

For example, says Grondin, Portland was also recently named the country's sixth ‘Least Sinful City’ on another list, but she says the U.S. News and World report picked up on important things such as lifestyle and its proximity to parks and outdoor recreation.

"You know we have a great quality of life here, right? I mean because we are a smaller city, we have the amenities of a bigger city but the accessibility of a smaller one,” says Grondin. “I mean you can leave work and go to any of the playful, fun activities quite quickly."

Portland scored well in areas such as safety and amenities. Portland lost points, however, on cost of living, with housing that is about 20 percent more expensive than the national average.