Think Cranston’s a great place to live?

You’re right, according to the news and business content service 24/7 Wall St.

Cranston ranked 36th on the list of “America’s 50 Best Cities to Live” published last week, just behind Norman, Okla., and ahead of Virginia Beach, Va. Taking top honors as the best city in which to live was Newton, Mass.

According to 24/7 Wall St., data concerning 550 cities with populations greater than 65,000 were reviewed during the ranking process. Factors such as the crime rate, job growth, education and affordability of housing were considered, along with other variables evaluated using information provided through the U.S. Census Bureau.

Among the positives cited for Cranston were its historic districts, low violent crime rate, low poverty rate of 9.2 percent, better-than-average median income of $59,000 and access to a range of leisure activities – from drinking and dining establishments to public libraries to the Narragansett Bay shoreline – both in and near the city.

Among the negatives were the city’s high 2013 unemployment rate of 9.5 percent – among the highest in the country, according to 24/7 Wall St. – and the fact that just under 30 percent of residents had at least a bachelor’s degree as of 2012. The latter figure, the list notes, is better than the national rate of 29.1 percent but lower than many other communities among the top 50.

To read the full list, visit 247wallst.com/special-report/2014/09/17/americas-50-best-cities-to-live.