DC “officially” the nation’s “coolest and fittest city”

Photo by PoPville flickr user yostinator

Ed. Note: I also think it’s no stretch to say we are the most beautiful, the best lovers, the kindest, the most well read, the best at crossword puzzles and other word games, the most sensible and/or daring depending on the situation and the most compassionate people on the planet!

From the Mayor’s office:

“Mayor Vincent C. Gray hailed news that two different organizations had recently published indices ranking the District the nation’s coolest and fittest city.

Forbes magazine today released its 2014 “America’s Coolest Cities” list with the District beating out contenders such as Seattle, Austin and San Francisco for the top honors. The American College of Sports Medicine also recently released its 7^th annual American Fitness Index® (AFI) report, which named the District the nation’s fittest city ahead of such recreation-rich cities as Denver; San Francisco; and Portland, Ore.

“Once again, the District of Columbia has been independently ranked the best city in the country in two new major quality-of-life categories, and I continue to be incredibly proud of our amazing city,” said Mayor Gray. “We will add these honors to the ever-growing list of accolades the District has won in recent years in categories ranging from cultural amenities to environmental sustainability to economic growth. The nation’s capital is truly the best place in America to live – and we now have ample independent assessments in a variety of areas to prove it.”

The Forbes rankings took into account such factors as arts and cultural amenities, recreational and sports resources, ethnic and cultural diversity, dining options, population growth, and the portion of the population between the ages of 20 and 34. The AFI rankings took into account indicators of personal health as well as indicators of environmental and community health and sustainability.”