Based on an evaluation of data around key amenities and features in American small, medium, and large cities, leading US real estate portal Trulia has come up with a list of the Best Neighborhoods in America for its consumers.

Ocean Beach in San Diego, Califoirnia topped the list for large cities followed by Wallingford, Seattle in Washington while Excelsior, San Francisco was the lead for the mid-sized cities and Ala Moana-Kakaako, Urban Honolulu was the top small town.

Ocean Beach rated a second mention as the most family friendly large city, while the best mid-size and small town neighborhoods for families were Noe Valley, San Francisco and Northeast Neighbors in Salem, Oregon respectively

Trulia says it "crunched the numbers" in the amenities data for neighborhoods on its site to create a ranking based on key metrics.

"We evaluated restaurants, beauty establishments, nightlife, trails, playgrounds, pediatricians, childcare and the percentage of quiet streets per square mile," the company explains.

The data was then combined to create a weighted average of each neighborhood's ranking.

Small markets are defined as having a population up to one million persons, medium markets are defined as having a population between one and two million persons and large markets are defined as having a population over 2 million.

"We also only looked at neighborhoods that are between one and two square miles in area – neighborhoods large enough to have a decent number of live well features but small enough to actually feel like a neighborhood," the company says.

The index ranges from 0 – 100, with 100 being the best scoring and 0 being the worst.

To further help consumers find the right home – and neighborhood Trulia also released a new 'Live Well Maps product.

The maps help home-seekers identify key amenities under three main categories: quiet streets, a visual capture of low to high traffic volumes; great places to play, an overview of parks, trails, indoor bounce houses and other like facilities.

They also incorporate 'care and essentials', a collection of data points on urgent care facilities, hospitals and other places consumers may want to identify prior to selecting your new neighborhood.

"As the first online real estate website to integrate maps into the online home-search experience, Trulia has now designed more than 30 consumer-favorite maps that provide people with data-driven information on crime, school ratings, natural hazards, and commute times among others in easy-to-understand, design-centric layers," the company says.

In addition to the Best Neighborhoods in America, Trulia also uncovered the Best Neighborhoods for Singles and Best Neighborhoods for Families.

Trulia says it has teamed with actress Minka Kelly to launch the home buying season with its 'Best Neighborhoods in America' guide and 'Live Well Maps'.

"As someone currently in the market to purchase a new home, I know how important it is to find the perfect place to call 'home' which, to me, includes a neighborhood that fits my needs," Minka Kelly says.

"Trulia has been a great ally for me during this process.

"Whether you are looking for the best school districts, hot spots to hang with your friends, nearby parks for your furry friend, or all of the above, Trulia makes it easy to find the perfect home and neighborhood for you."

Born in Los Angeles, actress Minka Kelly is no stranger to the value of a neighborhood, having lived in a variety of locations all over the country due to her career as an actress.

When not filming on the road, she resides in Los Angeles, where she can hike past the Hollywood sign by day and dine at some of her favorite restaurants at night – though she usually prefers to cook at home for friends.