Austin is the best capital city to call home, report says. Here’s how yours fared

From live music to scrumptious breakfast tacos, it seems like everyone is singing the praises of Austin, Texas, for one reason or another.

And the experts at WalletHub agree — Austin isn’t just a great place to visit, it’s also the best capital city to call home, according to a report by the personal finance website.

Raleigh, N.C.; Madison, Wis.; Denver; and Lincoln, Neb., rounded out the top five, the report said. Trenton, N.J., ranked last.

Experts analyzed factors including affordability, health and education quality, economic well-being and quality of life to determine which capital city reigned supreme.

Austin ranked first in economic well-being, which took into account factors such as population and income growth, income inequality, bankruptcy rates and median credit score, the report says.

Austin also ranked third in quality of education and health and fourth in quality of life. Its lowest rank was 12th in affordability, which looked at cost of living, median household income and housing costs, the report says. However, Austin did take the top spot for highest median household income.

The city also has the lowest premature death rate, according to WalletHub.

Other rankings include Boise at No. 11 on the list, thanks in part to a high score in economic well-being, the report says. Olympia nabbed the No. 17 spot with Sacramento ranking 24th. Columbia, S.C., ranked 28th while Jefferson City and Topeka finished 34th and 38th, respectively.

But is living in a state capital different than living in any other city? Experts say it can be.

Dr. Jennifer Jensen, Professor of Political Science, Lehigh University, told WalletHub that people who live in state capitals tend to be more politically minded.

“Those who live and work in state capitals are more likely to hear news about state government and are more likely to have neighbors who work in and around state government, even if they are not directly involved in state government themselves,” she said.

Dr. Jen Schneider, a professor at Boise State University, echoed Jensen’s comments, adding that “if you’re interested in being politically active or intervening in policy, it can help to be closer to the seat of power.”

Click here to read the full report.