Welcome to the 23rd-Best Place to Live in N. America : Ranking: Sky-high housing costs make O.C. less desirable than older, colder cities such as Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, according to the latest ‘Places Rated’ survey.

Tom Wilck was determined to be cheerful Monday as he ruminated on Orange County’s ranking of 23rd on the latest list of North America’s most livable cities.

So what if this area had been edged out in the 1993 “Places Rated Almanac” by Pittsburgh, Cleveland and other cities long considered less than inviting places to live, and certainly less inviting than Orange County? So what if its ranking had slipped since 1989, from eighth then to 23rd today? After all, hadn’t Orange County still beaten out Los Angeles-Long Beach, which came in at 27th of the 343 cities listed?

“We’re in the top 5%, right?” asked Wilck, who is chairman of the board of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. “That sounds pretty good to me.”

And besides, he added, noting his position as head of the local business group, “I have to say everything’s good here, you know.”

Nonetheless, it was Cincinnati--the former meatpacking center now known as the home of the Reds, the Bengals and Riverfront Stadium--that took top honors. The survey has been issued every four years since 1981 by Prentice Hall Travel. Cincinnati pulled off its victory by finishing respectably, never spectacularly, in each of the survey’s 10 categories.

Yuba City, Calif., in turn, suffered the indignity of being named the continent’s worst place to live. The small northern California city found itself in the basement of all but one category, scoring a passable 77th only in the area of climate.

The authors rated the cities in each category, then combined the scores to rank the overall winners and losers. The categories included cost of living, jobs, housing, transportation, education, health care, crime, the arts, recreation and climate.

Orange County was ranked first in the area of predicted job growth through 1998. Not surprisingly, the area also scored high in climate (5th), recreation (17th) and the arts (19th).

The county took a nose-dive, though, when the authors got around to considering cost of living, where it scored 339th, and housing, where it ranked 340th. Housing was found to be more expensive only in San Francisco, San Jose and Honolulu.

Perhaps predictably, the main reason for the four-place difference between the rankings of Orange County and Los Angeles-Long Beach was crime, with Los Angeles-Long Beach rated 337th and Orange County 182nd.

Best to Worst

“Places Rated Almanac” has ranked 343 metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada as places to live. Each area was evaluated in 10 categories, and the resulting ranking is based on those combined scores.

1. Cincinnati

2. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.

3. Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J.

4. Toronto

5. Pittsburgh, Pa.

6. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.

7. Washington

8. Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah

9. Indianapolis

10. Louisville, Ky.-Ind.

11. Vancouver, British Columbia

12. Atlanta

13. Portland, Ore.

14. Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, Ohio

15. Knoxville, Tenn.

16. San Diego

17. Boston

18. San Francisco

19. Greensboro-Winston-Salem, N.C.

20. Syracuse, N.Y.

21. Baltimore

22. St. Louis, Mo.-Ill.

23. Orange County, Calif.

24. Detroit

25. Eugene-Springfield, Ore.

26. Oklahoma City

27.* Los Angeles-Long Beach

27.* Johnson City-Kingsport, Tenn.-Va.

29. Tucson, Ariz.

30. Quebec

31. Nashville, Tenn.

32. Denver

33. Miami

34. Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wis.

35. Kansas City, Mo.-Kan.

36. Albuquerque, N.M.

37.* Lexington, Ky.

37.* Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.

39. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.

40.* Long Island, N.Y.

40.* Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis.

42. Rochester, N.Y.

43. Akron, Ohio

44. Chicago

45. Houston

46. Columbus, Ohio

47. Spokane, Wash.

48. Montreal

49. San Jose, Calif.

50. Dayton-Springfield, Ohio

51. Oakland, Calif.

52. Toledo, Ohio

53. Birmingham, Ala.

54. Ann Arbor, Mich.

55. Halifax, Nova Scotia

56.* Hamilton, Ontario

56.* Madison, Wis.

58. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, S.C.

59. Boise City, Ida.

60. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.

61. South Bend, Ind.

62. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.

63. Ottawa-Hull, Ontario-Quebec

64. Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio

65. Honolulu

66. Omaha, Neb.-Iowa

67. La Crosse, Wis.-Minn.

68. London, Ontario

69. Duluth-Superior, Minn.-Wis.

70. St. John’s, Newfoundland

71.* Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.

71.* San Antonio

73.* Salem, Ore.

73.* Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, Calif.

75. Ventura, Calif.

76. Charleston-North Charleston, S.C.

77.* Charleston, W.Va.

77.* Richmond-Petersburg, Va.

79. Springfield, Mo.

80. Central New Jersey, N.J.

81. Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, Pa.

82. Calgary, Alberta

83. Charlottesville, Va.

84. Erie, Pa.

85. Providence-Warwick-Cranston, R.I.

86. Lynchburg, Va.

87. Wilmington-Newark, Del.-Md.

88. Lubbock, Tex.

89. Roanoke, Va.

90.* Kitchener, Ontario

90.* Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pa.

92. Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich.

93. Dallas

94. Asheville, N.C.

95. Gary, Ind.

96. Lafayette, Ind.

97. Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Va.-N.C.

98. Memphis, Tenn.

99. Monmouth-Ocean, N.J.

100. Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.

101. Wichita, Kan.

102. Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

103. Bellingham, Wash.

104. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif.

105. New York City

106. Wheeling, W.Va.-Ohio

107. Northern New Jersey

108. Edmonton, Alberta

109. Fort Worth-Arlington, Tex.

110. Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Mich.

111. Sacramento

112. Victoria, British Columbia

113. Fort Wayne, Ind.

114.* Worcester-Fitchburg-Leominster, Mass.

114.* Youngstown-Warren, Ohio

116. Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga.

117. Columbia, S.C.

118. Gainesville, Fla.

119. Little Rock-North Little Rock, Ark.

120. Tulsa, Okla.

121. Orlando, Fla.

122. Stamford-Norwalk, Conn.

123. Santa Rosa, Calif.

124. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.

125. Tacoma, Wash.

126. Jacksonville, Fla.

127. Winnepeg, Manitoba

128. St. Catharines-Niagara, Ontario

129.* Windsor, Ontario

129.* Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

131. Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill.

132. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

133. Hickory-Morgantown, N.C.

134. Lincoln, Neb.

135. Evansville-Henderson, Ind.-Ky.

136. Muncie, Ind.

137. Des Moines, Iowa

138. Springfield, Ill.

139.* Daytona Beach, Fla.

139.* New Orleans

141. Greenville, N.C.

142. Peoria-Pekin, Ill.

143. Parkersburg-Marietta, W.Va.-Ohio

144. Las Vegas, Nev.-Ariz.

145. Medford-Ashland, Ore.

146. Atlantic City-Cape May, N.J.

147. Boulder-Longmont, Colo.

148. Columbia, Mo.

149. Jamestown, N.Y.

150. Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis.

151.* Austin-San Marcos, Tex.

151.* Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa

153. Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, Mich.

154. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

155. Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, Calif.

156. Hagerstown, Md.

157.* Cumberland, Md.-W.Va.

157.* Sioux Falls, S.D.

159. Bangor, Me.

160. Hartford, Conn.

161. Lake County, Ill.

162. Jackson, Mo.

163. Trenton, N.J.

164.* Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa.-N.J.

164.* Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.-Minn.

166. Olympia, Wash.

167. Amarillo, Tex.

168. Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla.

169. Huntsville, Ala.

170. Newark-Jersey City, N.J.

171. Lansing-East Lansing, Mich.

172. Provo-Orem, Utah

173.* Bloomington-Normal, Ill.

173.* Green Bay, Wis.

175.* Danbury, Conn.

175.* San Luis Obispo-Atascadero, Calif.

177. West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fla.

178. Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester, N.H.

179. New Haven-Meriden, Conn.

180. Reno

181. Galveston-Texas City, Tex.

182. El Paso, Tex.

183.* Bloomington, Ind.

183.* Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.

185. Portland, Me.

186. Florence, Ala.

187. Terre Haute, Ind.

188. Burlington, Vt.

189. Tallahassee, Fla.

190. Regina, Saskatchewan

191.* Colorado Springs, Colo.

191.* Utica-Rome, N.Y.

193. Mobile, Ala.

194. Biloxi, Gulfport-Pascagoula, Miss.

195.* Montgomery, Ala.

195.* Sherbrooke, Quebec

197. Johnstown, Pa.

198. St. Cloud, Minn.

199. Pensacola, Fla.

200. Joplin, Mo.

201. Redding, Calif.

202. State College, Pa.

203. Eau Claire, Wis.

204. Santa Fe, N.M.

205. Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Wash.

206. Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn.

207. Lafayette, La.

208. Manchester-Nashua, N.H.

209. Vancouver, Wash.

210. Oshawa, Ontario

211. Augusta-Aiken, Ga.-S.C.

212. Iowa City, Iowa

213. Bridgeport, Conn.

214. Binghamton, N.Y.

215. Canton-Massillon, Ohio

216. New Bedford-Fall River, Mass.

217. Elmira, N.Y.

218. Hamilton-Middletown, Ohio

219. Savannah, Ga.

220. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla.

221. Billings, Mont.

222. Salinas, Calif.

223. Altoona, Pa.

224. Trois-Rivieres, Quebec

225.* Athens, Ga.

225.* Decatur, Ala.

227. Fresno, Calif.

228. Yakima, Wash.

229.* Great Falls, Mont.

229.* Topeka, Kan.

231. Rapid City, S.D.

232. Sioux City, Iowa-Neb.

233. Greeley, Colo.

234. Wilmington, N.C.

235. Flint, Mich.

236. Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Fla.

237. Orange County, N.Y.

238. Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

239. Kankakee, Ill.

240. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.

241.* Las Cruces, N.M.

241.* Tuscaloosa, Ala.

243.* Brownsville-Harlingen, Tex.

243.* Pueblo, Colo.

245. Saint John, New Brunswick

246. Sharon, Pa.

247. Rocky Mount, N.C.

248. Williamsport, Pa.

249. Bismarck, N.D.

250. Bremerton, Wash.

251. Kenosha, Wis.

252.* Beaumont-Port Arthur, Tex.

252.* Owensboro, Ky.

254. Alexandria, La.

255. Dubuque, Iowa

256. Florence, S.C.

257. Lancaster, Pa.

258. Monroe, La.

259. Sheboygan, Wis.

260. Chico-Paradise, Calif.

261. Rochester, Minn.

262. Danville, Va.

263.* Reading, Pa.

263.* St. Joseph, Mo.

265. Lawrence, Kan.

266. Macon, Ga.

267. Anniston, Ala.

268. Baton Rouge, La.

269.* Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.

269.* Rockford, Ill.

271. Dutchess County, N.Y.

272.* Janesville-Beloit, Wis.

272.* Thunder Bay, Ontario

274. Cheyenne, Wyo.

275. Barnstable-Yarmouth, Mass.

276. Springfield, Mass.

277. Decatur, Ill.

278. Kokomo, Ind.

279. Yolo, Calif.

280. Anchorage, Alaska

281. Benton Harbor, Mich.

282.* Lake Charles, La.

282.* Steubenville-Weirton, Ohio-W.Va.

284. Myrtle Beach, S.C.

285. Odessa-Midland, Tex.

286.* Wausau, Wis.

286.* Columbus, Ga.-Ala.

288.* Wichita Falls, Tex.

288.* McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex.

290. Pittsfield, Mass.

291.* Corpus Christi, Tex.

291.* Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, Fla.

293. Mansfield, Ohio

294. Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, N.J.

295. Bryan-College Station, Tex.

296. Clarksville-Hopkinsville, Tenn.-Ky.

297. Yuma, Ariz.

298. Sherman-Denison, Texas

299. New London-Norwich, Conn.-R.I.

300. Enid, Okla.

301. Tyler, Tex.

302. Racine, Wis.

303. Sudbury, Ontario

304. Gadsden, Ala.

305. Brazoria, Tex.

306. Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

307. Chicoutimi-Jonquiere, Quebec

308. Lima, Ohio

309. Panama City, Fla.

310. Waco, Tex.

311.* Houma, La.

311.* Killeen-Temple, Tex.

313. San Angelo, Tex.

314. Ocala, Fla.

315. Texarkana, Tex.-Ark.

316. Abilene, Tex.

317. Glen Falls, N.Y.

318. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.

319.* Dothan, Ala.

319.* Modesto, Calif.

321. Jackson, Mich.

322. Fayetteville, N.C.

323. Casper, Wyo.

324. Longview-Marshall, Tex.

325. Lewiston-Auburn, Me.

326. Bakersfield, Calif.

327. Goldsboro, N.C.

328. Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, Calif.

329. Dover, Del.

330. Stockton-Lodi, Calif.

331. Lawton, Okla.

332. Naples, Fla.

333. Punta Gorda, Fla.

334. Pine Bluff, Ark.

335. York, Pa.

336. Laredo, Tex.

337. Victoria, Tex.

338. Jacksonville, N.C.

339. Albany, Ga.

340. Sumter, S.C.

341. Waterbury, Conn.

342. Merced, Calif.

343. Yuba City, Calif.

* Tied Sources: “Places Rated Almanac,” Prentice Hall; Associated Press

Los Angeles Times