Community Corner

Which City Ranks Better: Baltimore or Washington?

Restaurants, parks, pro sports teams and crime were all part of the rankings for America's 50 Best Cities.

Which city is a better place to live: Baltimore or Washington, D.C.?

According to Businessweek.com’s 2012 best cities ranking, neither one is tops, although both placed in the top 50 cities. The No. 1 honors went to San Francisco.

For the ranking, Businessweek.com again teamed up with Bloomberg Rankings to evaluate data on 100 of the country’s largest cities. Editors looked at leisure attributes (the number of restaurants, bars, libraries, museums, professional sports teams, and park acres by population), educational attributes (public school performance, the number of colleges, and rate of graduate-degree holders), economic factors (income and unemployment), crime, and air quality.

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Here’s what the editors said about both cities in our region.

Baltimore

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Rank: 29

Population: 612,701

A city with a beautiful waterfront and unique Mid-Atlantic flair, Baltimore misses the top 25 due to its high unemployment, 11.1 percent, and its crime rate, fourth worst on our list. … Its location on the Eastern seaboard makes it easily accessible, and Baltimore boasts major research hubs, such as Johns Hopkins University.

Bars: 243 Restaurants: 1,590 Museums: 45 Libraries: 36 Pro sports teams: 2 Park acres per 1,000 residents: 8 Colleges: 11 Percent with graduate degree: 8.5Median household income: $50,492 Percent unemployed: 11

Washington, D.C.

Rank: 3

Population: 607,731

The District of Columbia’s been known for political dysfunction, but when it comes to leisure it has become the nation’s leader. The nation’s capital has an expansive series of parks to go with its lively districts, such as Logan Circle and Foggy Bottom. D.C. rivals Boston for its depth and quality of schools. Staying busy: Residents can shop in Georgetown or check out such cultural centers as the Smithsonian's museums and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Bars: 134 Restaurants: 2,066 Museums: 108 Libraries: 88 Pro sports teams: 5Park acres per 1,000 residents: 12 Colleges: 17 Percent with graduate degree: 19.6 Median household income: $72,110 Percent unemployed: 9.1


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