Madison was ranked as the third best midsized metropolitan area for the best quality of life by Bizjournals Wednesday.
Bizjournals, a publisher of metropolitan business newspapers, conducted a study among 124 midsized cities, comparing them in 20 statistical categories using the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. The highest scores went to well-rounded places with healthy economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks and strong educational systems.
Madison ranked third in the study behind Provo, Utah and Boulder, Colorado.
The study attributed Madison's stable and upscale employment base to the presence of a major university and the State Capitol. Bizjournals also cited 40.5 percent of Madison adults 25 or older hold bachelor's degrees, compared with 36.1 percent of Provo adults.
Provo was credited with its high number of large homes and steady population growth while Boulder was noted for its entrepreneurial spirit and high percentage of college-educated residents.
