(Rock County, WI) According to a report released last week by Ownerly.com, the Janesville-Beloit MSA notched a Top 25 ranking for the best U.S. “remote-friendly” locations. Specifically, the area was ranked #12 for all metropolitan areas – regardless of population size. When ranked by defined population categories, the Janesville-Beloit MSA scored the #5 spot in the medium city (i.e. 100k – 250k population) grouping. The State of Wisconsin was well represented in this Zoomtown report, as six of the top 25 cities were from the Badger state.

The composite score for the Janesville-Beloit MSA was 71.5. Meanwhile, Madison – which was the top rated Wisconsin city in this report – received a composite score of 73.1. The number one ranking in the nation, with a composite score of 80.4, was Lebanon, PA.

These rankings reaffirm the business case why individuals and families alike are continually gravitating toward the Janesville-Beloit MSA. Housing affordability and access to various (local) healthcare provider options, coupled with safe neighborhoods and schools, and commuter-friendly transportation routes – thanks to the I-39/90 third lane expansion project – are just a few of the top reasons fueling the single and multi-family housing surge throughout Rock County. A diversifying economy, with strong foundations and employment gains within the emerging and/or expanding high-tech sectors, is an equally important variable too.

Ownerly.com is an online, data aggregation and statistical automated modeling valuation (AVM) platform that is available for home buyers and homeowners alike. To develop its Zoomtown rankings, Overlay.com examined and ranked 304 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas; and a weighting methodology was applied to the following statistics to generate each city’s composite scores: housing / rent values, affordability of goods and services, web connectivity, safety, climate and park access.