Top 20 best US cities for starting over

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If clean air is important to you in your quest to start over, check out Honolulu, Hawaii, says DK Eyewitness Travel. Image: heyengel/Istock.com via AFP Relaxnews

Looking to wipe the slate clean and reinvent yourself in a new city? Los Angeles has been named the best city for living the swinging single life; Boulder, Colorado the best for lovers of the outdoors; and Cambridge, Massachusetts the best city for millennials.

That’s according to travel guide DK Eyewitness Travel, which released their picks for the 20 best cities in the United States for making a fresh start, this week.

For the list, travel experts considered a slew of motivating factors that would compel people to uproot their lives and start afresh: better work-life balance, a love of the great outdoors, family life, and a dynamic art scene.

“We all go through periods where we long for something new, whether a new job, a new hobby or a new locale, so we worked to compile those cities perfect for those looking for a change of pace and scenery,” said publishing director Georgina Dee in a statement.

“Early in the year is always a great time to rediscover ourselves, including what we want to do and where we want to live. Our list includes a broad mix of mid-size towns, state capitals and big cities, each perfect in their own way for those seeking a fresh start.”

For overall quality of life, editors recommend Bellevue, Washington, home to high-paying jobs, beautiful natural surroundings, clean air, excellent schools and healthcare and little crime.

The only trade-off? Lots of rain.

For families looking to start anew, Plano, Texas is described as one of the most family-friendly cities in the U.S.

And the unemployed are advised to check out Salt Lake City, which boasts the highest rate of job opportunities in the country.

Here are the top 20 cities for starting over, according to DK Eyewitness:

1. Fort Worth, Texas
2. Anchorage, Alaska
3. Raleigh, North Carolina
4. San Francisco, California
5. Salt Lake City, Utah
6. Atlanta, Georgia
7. Bellevue, Washington
8. Plano, Texas
9. Honolulu, Hawaii
10. Portland, Oregon
11. Oakland, California
12. Huntsville, Alabama
13. Cambridge, Massachusetts
14. Los Angeles, California
15. Boulder, Colorado
16. Provo, Utah
17. Denver, Colorado
18. Providence, Rhode Island
19. Seattle, Washington
20. Santa Barbara, California

JB

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