Colorado Springs is No. 3 "best place to live"

• Fort Collins and Denver made the list at 39 and 40, respectively, out of 150 metro areas analyzed.

Why it matters: The national accolade is just the latest for Colorado Springs. The state's second-largest city recently has been in the spotlight for its economy and culture.

The intrigue: The Springs — which ranked ninth on the U.S. News list in 2023 — was lauded for its high desirability as a place to live and its cost of living.

• Boulder ranked high for quality of life.