Durango regularly appears on national lists highlighting the best towns to live in or visit, but not usually behind towns such as Pella, Iowa, and West Fargo, North Dakota.

A list of the 50 best cities to live in published by USA Today this fall listed Durango as No. 49 behind numerous Midwestern burgs. The list highlights Durango’s low crime rate, high concentration of bars and restaurants, and close proximity to quality skiing, hiking and mountain biking areas.

Durango was the only Colorado town to make the list compiled by 24/7 Wall St., a financial news and opinion company.

West University Place, a suburb of Houston, took the top spot on the list.

The list examined all communities across the country with more than 8,000 residents and ranked them based on their affordability, economy, quality of life and community. The publication took into account factors such as the median home value, median income, preventable hospitalizations, unemployment and poverty rates and public amenities, such as parks, trails, theaters and libraries.

mshinn@durangoherald.com