Where to Get a Metro Vibe Without Living in the City

So what suburbs provide that coveted Metro vibe without actually living in the big city? Zillow and Yelp‘s ‘Cityness Index’ keeps a running list and their report placed Tempe, Arizona 10th. Not at all a bad showing, but being familiar with several of the other suburbs on this list I am confident that it should have ranked much higher.

As college towns go it strikes one as unpretentious, but look a little closer and you’ll see that Tempe truly is right in the center of it all: there’s a never-ending lineup of activities and events from Broadway plays to marathons, cultural venues and museums, shopping, dining, urban ‘wilderness’ hiking and biking, water parks, and sports arenas like MLB spring training fields and the prospective home of Phoenix Coyotes hockey. Downtown Tempe offers a vibrant mix of local and national shops, award-winning microbreweries, international food options and of course the dynamic campus of ASU, recently named the nation’s most innovative school for the 7th year in a row!

All of Tempe’s vital statistics aside, there’s a comfortable small town feel in its abundance of diverse residential neighborhoods. Quiet tree-lined streets and superb association amenities are typical in this community-centric Phoenix suburb.

I can’t say that I am acquainted with all of the towns listed by Zillow&Yelp but arguably, Tempe belongs at or near the very top of the list!

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Are you considering a move to the suburbs but not quite ready to give up the urban lifestyle? Well, according to a recent report, you may be able to have your cake and eat it, too.

The Cityness Index report from Zillow and Yelp Inc. rates suburbs according to the balance they provide between more space and privacy, and a big-city vibe. By combining data from both organizations, the index has identified areas that are close to major metros, but are more affordable and provide suburban amenities while maintaining an urban feel. The key metrics used include home values compared to the nearest big cities, housing availability, business diversity and consumer reviews, among others.

Waterbury, Conn., topped the list due its housing affordability ranking—homes are typically 29 percent less expensive than the typical home in nearby New Haven, Conn., and 46 percent less expensive than the typical U.S. home. This beat out Lowell, Mass., which came in second place for having home values that are about half of what you could expect to pay in Boston Proper, as well as having “plentiful options.”

For city types who are dreaming of more space and a more affordable lifestyle, but who aren’t quite ready to relinquish culture and nightlife, consider these top 10 affordable city-like suburbs from the Cityness Index: