Most Livable State Capitals in the U.S.

Honolulu is the best state capital to live in, while New England is the region with the highest concentration of most livable capital cities.

Concord, N.H., Montpelier, Ver., and Boston all made the top 10 listing by SmartAsset, which judged cities by average discretionary income, property crime, violent crime, and unemployment rate metrics. Concord was rated highest, third place, with the lowest unemployment rate of all capitals at 2.3 percent, and ranked eleventh for disposable income, $44,054. By contrast, number one-ranked Honolulu, while expensive, has $46,800 in disposable income, and an unemployment rate of less than 2.6 percent.

Capital cities in the United States share many of the same characteristics. Housing the state and local city bureaucracy, capital cities often times have stronger economies than other cities in the state. The best state capitals also tend to have strong local histories that broaden the local cultural offerings for residents. With that increased interest can come some problems, however. Many state capitals suffer from rising housing costs that leave residents unable to build their savings. That hurts the overall quality of life.

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