The American Dream brings to mind different things for different people, and San Jose is the only city in Northern California where people believe they can achieve it, according to a recent report.
Financial tech company SmartAsset relied on various metrics — diversity, economic mobility, home values and the unemployment rate — to rank cities as the best places to live the American Dream.
San Jose, with an average home value of $717,000 — the highest on the list, came in twelfth place. Just over 56 percent of the city's one million-plus residents are homeowners and its unemployment is 3.5 percent, according to SmartAsset.
The list was led by Aurora, Ill., West Valley City, Utah, and Midland, Texas. The only other California city to make the cut was Palmdale, which came in tenth place.
The top 20 cities are as follows:
- Aurora, Illinois
- West Valley City, Utah
- Midland, Texas
- Aurora, Colorado
- Rochester, Minnesota
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Kent, Washington
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Round Rock, Texas
- Palmdale, California
- Olathe, Kansas
- San Jose, California
- Des Moines, Idaho
- Garland, Texas
- Abilene, Texas
- Forth Worth, Texas
- West Jordan, Utah
- Amarillo, Texas
- Plano, Texas
- Lehigh Acres, Florida
