In order to appraise the quality of life (Q.O.L.) in American cities, the fifty largest American cities were examined according to twenty-six socioeconomic variables. These variables were arranged under seven headings: housing, crime, education, health, social disorganization, economic status, and amenities. The results of this study, when compared with the studies of Arthur Louis and Ben-Chieh Lui, produced several conclusions. It was determined that states are not ideal territorial units for studying Q.O.L., because cities with disparate ratings were often found in the same state. Also two cities that are close in physical proximity may differ greatly in the Q.O.L. rankings. The study revealed that no region or metropolitan area ranked high in every index, and that within metropolitan areas there existed significant differences in Q.O.L. from one location to the next. The suggestion put forth in previous studies that a correlation existed between city size and the Q.O.L. from one location to the next. The suggestion put forth in previous studies that a correlation existed between city size and the Q.O.L. index was disproven in this analysis. This study did show a relationship between low ranking amenity ratings and cities with a large industrial sector. Finally, the study yielded several suggestions for improving research techniques in further Q.O.L. assessments. (APM)