MADISON – One company has released a fact about Madison that most residents already knew.

The Niche company has rated Madison as number one in its list of “2017 Best Places to Live in Alabama.”

Based in Pittsburgh, Penn., Niche uses a small team of scientists, engineers, parents and progressive thinkers who are dedicated to help consumers find the schools and neighborhoods that match their lifestyles and quality-of-life expectations.

The “2017 Best Places to Live” ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area, according to Niche. This grade takes into account several key factors of a location, including quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities.

Niche gave the Madison community an overall grade of “A+,” and Madison City Schools earned an “A+”. Other grading categories include “Housing,” A+; “Good for Families,” A+; “Jobs,” A; “Cost of Living,” A-; “Commute,” A-; and “Diversity,” A-.

Four standards received “B” rankings: “Nightlife,” B+; “Weather,” B+; “Health and Fitness,” B+; and “Crime & Safety,” B-.

Niche listed Madison’s population at 45,590. Its findings stated median home value as $226,700 and median rent as $859. Seventy-two percent of residents are homeowners, while 28 percent rent a place to live.

For property crimes in Madison, Niche reported that Madison had 328 burglaries, compared to the national average of 525 (calculated annually per 100,000 residents). A total of 1,434 thefts in Madison was lower than 2,081 nationally. Madison’s 104 motor vehicle thefts compare to 263 nationally.

Madison’s median household income is $92,960, Niche reported, compared to the national average of $53,889. For education levels, 21 percent of Madison residents hold a master’s degree or higher, 35 percent earned a bachelor’s degree and 27 percent compiled some college credit or an associate’s degree.

The Niche website, niche.com, helps individuals discover the schools and neighborhoods that fit a person’s or family’s needs. They rigorously analyze dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards and profiles for every K-12 school, college and U.S. neighborhood.

Niche gathers some of the industry’s most comprehensive data available on U.S. schools and neighborhoods. The company constantly updates and connects millions of data points to produce new rankings and insights.

For more information, visit niche.com.