Huntsville residents know this is a great place to work, live and raise a family.

Well, the secret has gotten out and the Rocket City has received rave reviews in a pair of rankings released today by U.S. News and World Report.

Huntsville has been rated the No. 1 in the “25 Best Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2021-2022” and the third-best of the “25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2021-2022,” by the magazine.

This is the fourth straight year Huntsville has been ranked the best affordable place to live by U.S. News and World Report.

“Huntsville is the most affordable place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for the fourth year in a row,” the story said. “An above-average individual annual salary and low cost of living mean Huntsville residents are keeping more money in their pockets to devote to other things. Just 18.82% of the median household income in Huntsville goes toward housing costs.”

Among the 25 best places to live, Huntsville rocketed from No. 15 in 2020-2021 to No. 3 this year.

“Huntsville jumps from No. 15 in 2020 to No. 3 in 2021, particularly for its job market that became even stronger in the midst of unemployment concerns across the country,” the magazine said. “This northern Alabama metro area is the most affordable place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., and has many local companies focused on science, technology, engineering and math, which contributes to a higher average annual salary for the local population.”