NASHUA – Only two places in the entire New England region outrank Nashua on Money Magazine’s 2019 list of the best places to live, while the Gate City rates No. 71 nationally and first in New Hampshire.

“Our emerging downtown arts scene, Mine Falls, the Farmers Market, a great public library, symphony music, Dinner on Main Street, our Arts Festival and the annual Winter Holiday Stroll,” Mayor Jim Donchess said regarding reasons for Nashua to achieve the ranking.

With a downtown where one can dine on homemade crepes for breakfast and lobster for dinner, drink at any one of numerous breweries and coffee shops, live in hip loft apartments, and play one of multiple public pianos along the sidewalks, Nashua certainly offers an eclectic experience.

This is even before the city’s planned multimillion-dollar Performing Arts Center for the former Alec’s Shoes building on Main Street opens.

Nashua is on the list with Los Angeles suburbs such as Irvine, Eagle Rock, and Chino Hills, California. However, smaller communities from throughout the nation also made the list, as Clarksville, Tennessee ranked No. 1.

After once again being named to the magazine’s list, the city has now been seen itself recognized by the publication in three of the last four years, having been ranked as the Best Place to Live in New Hampshire last year, as well as being ranked 16th on the list of 50 Best Places to Live in 2016.

Donchess said Nashua is no stranger to such recognition, having been named the best place to live in the country during his first run as mayor in the 1980s.

“I was mayor when we made No. 1 in 1987 for the first time – I was in my third year as mayor then,” Mayor Jim Donchess said. “I think making the list is always a significant accomplishment – it’s well deserved.”

“Many people contribute to the Nashua sense of community. I want to express my gratitude to everybody who works here and raises a family here because Nashua is a great place to live, work and raise a family,” he added. “I am honored to serve as mayor.”

Great American Downtown Executive Director Paul Shea said the ranking is both deserved and appreciated.

“It’s really no wonder. I look around at all the things we have to be grateful for and all the things we have to be thankful for,” Shea said. “From Nashua’s vibrant arts and culture scene, to its wide variety of restaurants, to a number of beautiful green spaces – including Mine Falls and Greeley Park – it’s no wonder the city of Nashua has made the list as often as we have.”

To make the list, cities were compared in several categories, including economy, cost of living, diversity, education, housing, health and safety, amenities and ease of living – all of which were broken down into subcategories.

Other than Nashua, New England cities named to the list include Portland, Maine (44), Somerville, Massachusetts (70), and Brighton, Massachusetts (92).

Mathew Plamondon may be reached at 594-1244, or at mplamondon@nashuatelegraph.com, @telegraph_MatP.