Pensacola on Top 100
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Pensacola made the list for "America's 100 Best Cities 2022," which is put together by bestcities.org
The list is "a ranking of the Best American Cities with metro populations of 500,000 people or more," according to the website.
While New York City and Los Angeles ranked no. 1 and 2 on the list, Pensacola came in at no. 81. It is the smallest city to make the list.
"The smallest city in our ranking—after 15,000 new residents pushed the population past our half-million threshold—shines as bright as its Gulf of Mexico white-sand beaches," Best Cities states in its article.
Furthermore, Best Cities says Pensacola ranked #70 for Neighborhoods, #46 in its deep Place category and #20 in its Parks & Outdoors subcategory.
Its pier is one of the longest in the Gulf and the nearby Gulf Islands National Seashore is the longest stretch of protected seashore in the U.S. No wonder every second home here seems to have a bike or kayak on its porch. But people do work here. More than 500 companies in town specialize in aerospace and defense, cyber security, advanced manufacturing and professional services, with more remote talent arriving daily in pursuit of the beach and no state personal income tax.
Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson released this statement on the recognition:
It is an honor to see our great city being recognized among the best in the country. This recognition demonstrates that more and more people are realizing what Pensacola residents already know — that our city is a beautiful, vibrant place to live, with so much to offer residents and visitors in every stage of life. Our rich history, Southern hospitality, beautiful beaches and waterways, and strong economy make Pensacola a truly special place, and I am not surprised to see exponential growth as people continue to want to call Pensacola home.
