Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.

Everyone wants to be the best. New England can be a difficult place to endure, with lengthy winters and short summers. Many towns and cities throughout the region have expensive real estate with exorbitant construction costs to build brand new. Even with those hurdles, New England remains a place that forever feels like home. The charm, ocean, and people are what draw potential residents in.

Travel + Leisure just released their latest list of the "10 Best Places to Live on the East Coast". Their findings are a combination of job opportunities, higher education, recreational fun, and natural beauty. Four cities in New England were in the top 10.


 

Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine, USA downtown city skyline at dusk.
Sean Pavone
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Portland is home to Maine's wildest real estate market, but that hasn't stopped it from being one of the best places to live on the East Coast (if you can find a house). Relative to many other cities along the East Coast, Portland has low crime and a small-town feel.

Portland, Maine, USA coastal townscape.
Sean Pavone
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As Travel + Leisure notes, Portland is home to a tremendous arts, food, and beer scene, as well as just being an easy city to walk through. Add in that Portland isn't all that far from beaches, lakes, or hikes in the summer, and plenty of skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, and it's no wonder that it tops the list.


 

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA town skyline on the Piscataqua River.
SeanPavonePhoto
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In many ways, Portsmouth mirrors Portland, Maine, as a walkable city filled with a great food and beer scene, as well as having vibrant nightlife. There's plenty to do in the summer throughout Portsmouth, from recreation on the ocean to nearby amusement parks.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA townscape.
Sean Pavone
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As Travel + Leisure notes, one of the biggest draws for Portsmouth is the school system. Portsmouth consistently ranks as one of the best places for education in the northeast. Low crime rates and the joy of having no income tax in New Hampshire make it one of the best places to live on the East Coast.


 

Greenwich, Connecticut

Greenwich Avenue
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You best have deep pockets if you're planning on moving to Greenwich. The city has been one of the wealthiest in New England for decades, and a tight real estate market has only driven prices even higher. But to balance that, Greenwich offers exquisite dining options, shops, and waterfront recreation that consistently make it desired.

Greenwich Harbor
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Similar to Portsmouth, one of the biggest draws for Greenwich is education. Greenwich's public school system is renowned for its quality, and the city also boasts many private school options as well. Mix in reasonable property taxes, and you can understand why Greenwich is one of the best places to live on the East Coast.


 

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts, USA skyline over Boston Common.
Sean Pavone
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Big, bad Boston is still an incredible city to live in. If you can look past the pretzel of roadways and construction pitfalls, Boston has a ton going for it. Unlike most cities in New England, Boston has a decent amount of real estate inventory. Thanks to so many prestigious universities in the area, Boston remains one of the most vibrant and young-feeling cities in New England as well.

Boston
Marcio Silva
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As Travel + Leisure notes, it's not just real estate and higher education that make Boston sexy. Boston is home to limitless job opportunities offering consistently high salaries for its residents. Boston remains one of the world leaders in medicine, with award-winning hospitals throughout the city. Not only that, but Boston is centrally located for day trips to other New England destinations.

You can check out the remaining six cities on Travel + Leisure's "10 Best Places to Live on the East Coast" here. 


 

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