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Residents of San Ramon enjoy the highest quality of life among the largest cities in the country, according to a recent ranking that also positioned nearby Pleasanton in second place in its measure of communities based on a number of non-economic factors.
The U.S. Social Progress Map from the Washington, D.C. nonprofit Social Progress Imperative ranks the country’s 500 largest cities based on a total of 50 indicators categorized as basic human needs, opportunity and foundations of well-being.
“San Ramon and the other top cities stand out as national leaders in delivering strong outcomes for their residents across key drivers of social progress,” said Michael Green, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative in a press release Tuesday. “These findings highlight how thoughtful planning, community investment, and people-centered policy can foster thriving, inclusive cities.”
San Ramon came out on top with an overall score of 69.2 out of 100 points, which broke down into a score of 75.8 for basic needs indicators, 69.5 for foundations of well-being and 62.2 for opportunity.
“San Ramon’s quality of life is highly valued in our community,” San Ramon Mayor Mark Armstrong said in Tuesday’s press release. “From quality schools to beautiful parks, from public safety to family-friendly events and activities that bring the community together, there’s so much to celebrate in San Ramon.”
Pleasanton was right behind San Ramon in the No. 2 spot, with an overall score of 66.3 – 70.1 for basic needs, 68.3 for foundations of wellbeing, and 60.6 for opportunity.
“This recognition from the U.S. Social Progress Index speaks volumes about what makes Pleasanton so special: public safety, great schools, beautiful parks and open spaces, and neighbors who truly care about one another,” Pleasanton Mayor Jack Balch said on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon.
San Ramon and Pleasanton were the only two cities in the Tri-Valley among the top 10 cities in the national ranking. Fremont ranked at No. 10, with Folsom, Carlsbad and Irvine also making up the total of six California cities in the top 10. The other top cities in the ranking are Centennial, Colo.; Newton, Mass.; Plymouth, Minn.; and Bellevue, Wash.
The positive news comes amid budget struggles in each of the top two cities, with San Ramon’s ongoing deficit being temporarily bolstered by a 1% sales tax increase that voters approved in November for 10 years. A half-cent sales tax measure on the ballot for Pleasanton was meanwhile rejected by voters there, with the City Council looking toward budget cuts to an array of city services in the face of a projected $13 million deficit annually over each of the next eight years.
Both cities have also been hit by recent waves of layoffs in the private sector, with Chevron axing workers in San Ramon as it continues minimizing its operations in the city following the move of its headquarters to Texas. Pleasanton-based Workday and 10x Genomics have also cut local jobs recently – 600 positions at Workday and 93 at 10x Genomics.
However, the Social Progress Map seeks to offer “a more complete view of how people are actually faring” at what representatives from the Social Progress Imperative call “a time when economic growth alone no longer defines community success”.
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