The best places to live in the US, according to annual rankings

A rushing river, a thriving downtown, and sometimes prime seats for the northern lights.

For decades, photographer Jason Brotski has captured vivid greens and brilliant purples dancing across the night sky.

But he says the best place to photograph them isn’t Alaska or even Iceland — it’s Sunset Beach Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

And U.S. News & World Report understands why.

Out of 150 American cities, the magazine ranked Green Bay as the best place to live based on the area’s job market, value, quality of life and people’s desire to live there.

Rounding out the top five are Huntsville, Alabama; Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina; Boulder, Colorado and Sarasota, Florida.

Each of these cities boasts good job opportunities — like in Huntsville, where many work at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Or in Raleigh-Durham, which is known for its research and university jobs.

Boulder is highly desirable due to its countless wellness offerings: Forest bathing, rock climbing and cycling, all against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

And while Sarasota used to be dubbed a “retiree’s playground,” the fast-growing city is also among U.S. News’ top 10 safest places to live and has an excellent nightlife-to-people ratio.

In a press release, real estate editor at U.S. News Devon Thorsby said beyond affordability and jobs, people are also considering severe weather risk and the community’s ability to recover from disasters.

That’s why this year, the list included weather as part of its desirability index, evaluating the number of days the temperature fell between 33 and 89 degrees.

But no matter which city you choose on this list, odds are you’ll end up somewhere with below-average crime rates, affordable places to live and overall a good quality of life.

By Emily Grossberg, Scripps News.