Best Places to Live 2008
What do you think of this year’s Best Places to Live list? Which are your favorite cities? What makes them great American towns? Would you consider moving to one of them? What do you think is most important when considering where to live — real estate prices, school systems, taxes, job opportunities, lack of stress? Tell us what you think. The best replies will be published here, and possibly in a future story on CNNMoney.com.
Parsippany? You have got to be kidding? I worked there for many years and lived nearby. The houses are grossly overpriced, there has been so much growth the infrastructure has not kept up and the traffic is a nightmare. When they say avg commute 20 minutes, I hope your job is across the street, because that’s how long it will take you to pull out of a side street onto the main road!
I’m glad the focus has changed from westcoast cities to the midwest. Now maybe the property values will fall, the population will diminish and the rest of us can start to enjoy such living in California, Oregon, and Washington state.
Fort Collins has many positives. Bike Paths, nice down town, friendly people, good weather and it is an easy drive to Denver. It also has many negatives. The economy is bad and most of the jobs are low paying service jobs. Crime has gone up significantly due to the methamphetamine epidemic and increase in gang violence. Poverty is on the rise and is a major problem. There have been a number of articles in the local paper about the increase in child poverty. The schools are underfunded. In many ways there are two Fort Collins - the one for those who are well educated and well paid and the one for those that have few skills and little money.
CT is a beautiful place to be, especially Fairfield, CT. It has beautiful views and a great place to live with the family, or just to enjoy.
The top 10 small cities are a joke. They are all suburbs of big cities. Why not rate the best top 10 “small” cities that aren’t just the ‘burbs? That way folks who don’t want to live in a metropolitan area can see some choices.
I am glad to see Franklin Twp on the list, the quality of life, education, diversity and the feeling of safety is great. Being #5 makes me understand why people are running to get here, fresh air, trees an more trees, many places for jobs and great neighbors. Proud to be a resident.
I was born in San Juan Capistrano - I lived there for 10 years. We had to leave - our neighborhood got pretty bad, and that was a while back. It would be a with a broad brush to say that San Juan was deteriorating, and I haven’t been back for over 20 years, but as you can see by the adjusted purchasing power, its a bit expensive for the quality of life.
Your rankings don’t take into consideration one of the biggest issues of all, acceptance of people of differing ethnicities, religions, political persuasion, or sexual orientation. Many of the places on your list welcome families that are white, Christian, and Republican, but would not be so accepting of Muslims, Jews, singles, gays, athiests, Hispanics, or others.
You also ignore the rate of catastophic natural disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. How are these places “safe” to live in?
Obviously you are only going by the personal income tax paid by residents of DC not by the jobs that are available in DC and held by people who live in the Greater DC Metro area.
First, who in God’s name said this “The family-friendly community prides itself on its low taxes, open government and plentiful youth programs.” Obviously someone is not really paying attention. New Jersey has the one of the highest tax rates in the nation.
Second, it is Washington Township not Washington
What is so special about Plymouth, MN? It would be nice if they told us how they rank these… I live in Norman (#6) and while I like the area I am not really sure we are that special… nor do I understand why Naperville, IL (which I just visited for 6 weeks on work assignment) is two slots better than Norman. They both have tree lined streets, shops and nice people and low crime (well, as low as you can get in this nasty little world we live in). So what gives?
Why are all the City populations so high? What about Jenks, OK? You should call this best places to live with populations OVER 50K… it’s certainly not all inclusive.
Your lists are to be taken with a grain of salt. I have recently returned from my wife’s home state of NY. She is from Onieda County (city of Rome). She is close to #46 winner Clay, NY. I am from Oregon. Let’s compare!!! No Sales Tax in Oregon vs Clay NY around 8.00-8.75% depending on the county. Extremely HIGH PROPERTY TAX in Clay (about a half to two thirds less in Oregon). Let’s not forget that you also have to pay a state income tax. I like beer but the selection is horrid in upstate NY and about $2.00 a six pack more. Every thing is higher in NY from the produce to the McDonalds drive thru. In Oregon we have “Free Ways”. In NY you have to pay the piper to drive on the “through ways”. No humidity and and NO SNOW IN THE WINTER in Oregon on the Westside of the state. Go to the state parks in NY (they are really nice) but you pay a hefty $7 fee and you have to BRING YOUR FREAKIN GARBAGE HOME WITH YA! Where was the “Money Mag” crew when they concocted this farce? What about Bend,Or or Eugene, Or. Corvallis, OR or Gresham, OR. So many great small towns too many to list.
where’s westfield, nj on here? anyone who’s been to westfield knows it’s a great place. i know plenty of people in franklin that envy people who leave here…
Marquette, MI being the shortest commute? You bet! The reason is because the next town, Escanaba is nearly 70 miles away.
Marquette, MI is a “bubble” in the woods. The nearest freeway is 130 miles away
I used to think that only cities that were located south of the Virginia border were named in the top XXX lists. I am happy to see Franklin Township finally on the list and even happier that it is in the top 5! I have lived here for the past 4 yrs and have noticed significant POSITIVE changes! The community is diversified, a blend of different cultures. From temples to churches and all in-between, change is positive. Big corporations are also discovering the advantage of our town. Centrally located to all the major highways without the big city hassle. Thank you Money for recognizing our town!
you can get a good tour of russellville at http://www.clickrivervalley.com
Gilbert guy & your fixation on HOAs making the place so perfect. It’s not a problem where there is pride in property and some sophistication. You only have to mandate HOAs in places where people actually think that tin foil on windows and parking their vehicles on the front lawn looks perfectly fine.
How can Highlands Ranch, CO be on the same list ast Fort Collins? I’d give Highlands Ranch the award for most urban sprawl. I guess entertainment could be DRIVING around all day to find your beige tract home.
I don’t understand why Minnesota is always at the top of your list - Only people from that part of the country could or would deal with the lousy weather! People that live there are prisoners in their homes for months out of the year!
I would like to add a stat to the Auburn Alabama page. I recently accepted a job in Auburn. I was shocked when I got my first paycheck and learned there was an AUBURN CITY INCOME TAX on my wages. It is more than my car insurance. I got to this blog when I was researching the tax and Money popped up with Auburn looking so good. I’ve always heard buy before you come because of the Sales tax but I never knew they had a income tax. Why don’t they drop the income tax and tax the drunks that flood the town to watch the Football games and leave their trash and leave the hard working folks alone. Comments/Suggestions welcome. Anyone know of a city that has succesfully had the city income tax done away with? Thanks D
I have to laugh at all these postings because people get so defensive. I agree with a posting above that the best place to live is where you want to live. Why not live somewhere that suits your lifestyle best? Every place will have pros and cons. You just have to weigh them out and choose the most suitable. I was born and raised in Fargo, ND…a place only recognized from the movie! I then moved to the Minneapolis suburbs and really enjoyed it. Then I moved to San Francisco bay area. Out of all the places, the best place for me is Fargo. Home is where the heart is. I will stand the extreme cold winters if I can be near my loved ones. Some great aspects of Fargo include affordable cost of living (being able to afford a home and actually get your money’s worth!), changing seasons (autumn is absolutely gorgeous here, with the array of colors), good solid people, good education, low crime rates. And if you want to get the city life for a while, you can head to the Twin Cities less than 4 hour drive away. Although I enjoyed the natural beauty, moderate weather, and big list of things to do in the Bay Area, I will not miss the rat race and high stress. It all comes down to what is most important to you. Pardon the cliches, but I do believe home is where your heart is. Or simply where you hang your hat. Moral of the story: love where you are…it will affect your happiness and quality of life.
SUPER COOL TO KNOW MY CITY IS ONE OF THE LIST. GOOD TO SEE THE LIST AND BE PROUD, CONGRA FOR THE FIRST 25 BEST
I built my home in Fishers over 10 years ago and this really is a nice place to live. Quality of life is everything and it’s good here. You can walk to the town center for the License branch, police, fire department, library and post office. We have a really good school system and numerous choice for other amenities close by. My children fish at the creek that runs through our community and the YMCA is around the corner. Every time I drive into my sub-division, with its park-like setting, I know I made a wise choice for my family’s home. It’s good to see our town recognized. It’s also great that our county, Hamilton County, was voted #1 best place to live by Forbes. Go Fishers!!!
you must be out of your mind!! Troy Mi # 22. I live in Mi most of my life and it’s for the birds. any place within 300 miles
of Troy is garbage
Fort Mill, SC is a wonderful little town to live in! Known for it’s excellent schools and only 20 minutes outside of uptown Charlotte, NC.
$318K is hardly the median price of a home here in Copperas Cove.
While I don’t know the median price for sure, one can buy a very nice home here for $100K. Ones with nice views from one of the hilltops surrounding the city go for a bit more.
This survey/comparison is totally a crock.
NAPLES, FL: It doesn’t get any more beautiful than Naples, FL. The beaches, palm trees, and the weather is perfect. But, the people here are pretentious, shallow, and most are here for retirement only. The people are nice and polite, but hard to get to know and there is no sense of community or culture either.
I am so glad West Hartford, CT made the list. We relocated here from across the country and chose the town for all it has to offer. It is vibrant, walkable, clean, picturesque… an all-around great place to call home.
Aurora, IL sure must have changed since I lived there in 1993 when there was a police officer permanently stationed outside our apartment building (the only place we could afford at the time) and where you couldn’t be downtown after dark.
We saved every penny for 4 months until we could afford a down-payment on a cheap condo in Naperville. I certainly never thought I’d see Aurora on a top 100 list.
Congratulations on the make-over!
don’t go to ca to live for there are many reasons first the cost of living, very expensive housing and too few apts. that are afforable. second, drivers licsence, very expensive third. food can be expensive and selection iffy. how about schools that
have plenty of problems that start early gangs, bullys, teachers that are there and don’t care if your child learns. think before you move there there are other great cities
Decatur, Georgia should be on this list. Close to Atlanta, good schools, vibrant town square, great destination restuarants, light rail transport, progressive government.
First of all NJ is the most densely populated state in the nation so just based on that you will have many more chances for a city in NJ to get on this list. There are also many opportunities in NJ that aren’t available in any other states due to the diversity of people and businesses. Plus the proximity to several major cities, beaches, mountains, pine barrens etc… I have worked for several major companies and they say the most intelligent and hardest working Americans come from that area of the country. So they end up transferring parts of their operations hoping to attract a more skilled work force. Obviously they forgot to add a variable calculating corruption since the politicians manage to waste or lose tax payer money.
No top cities?! When’s the last time you were in Biloxi? Or the City of d’iberville which connects with Biloxi. We are survivors here. (Remember Katrina?)It hit here yet all the attention and most of the aid went to New Orleans. Plus rather than nice, expensive places..we have NICE PEOPLE! When everyone focused on New Orleans, we focused on each other. Not many states can say that! I’d rather live here (Yes, I’ve lived in big cities (Indianapolis) where we don’t have to lock doors and we all watch out for each other. We also have plenty of casinos and southern hospitality is not dead here!!
I’m sorry for being such a dork on July 14th. I am jealous of Overland Park and Olathe because I can’t afford to live in those towns. Not only that…but my body mass index is off the charts. So I looked up the definition of ‘town’ and realized that Shawnee, Overland Park and Olathe are all suburbs of Kansas City; however, those ‘towns’ do not pay KC MO taxes. So I apologize for my being jealous and dumb.
Although our place is best remembered as the haven of the notorious and infamous BTK killer, which is now a thing of the past, Wichita is doing good in all aspects. It should have been included on the list
greater than an hour commute from fort collins to denver as a con?!?!? it takes less than an hour if one knows how to drive, and thats not really a con anyways. its the perfect distance
I am stunned when I read the 10 best places to live, how could Ephrata not mention, its a wonderful place with affordable hmes, excellent schools, close-net family and close to big cities (Philadelphia) Also short commute to NJ, NY, MD. High paying jobs.
None from Hawaii? One of the highest cost of living w/high taxes and subpar income? Beautiful weather but big govt, big union, big biz (not small biz) dominate? Where the best and brightest exodus to the “Mainland” for better opportunities. Where provincialism reigns supreme and one political party monopoly rules???? And you can’t vote for a city in Hawaii????
LOL.
FoCo is a great choice for #2, but Highlands Ranch? Someone must have a daddy at CNNMoney.com and is trying to sell their house. Talk about Cookie Cutter.
What about Katy, TX…not only is it not in your Top 100, it did not even make your list of other cities
I can’t imagine places in Michigan being better places to live both weather wise, salary wise and recreational wise than Arkansas and Georgia….
pretty biased to the North
But then we want to keep the South a secret
I’d like to suggest the criteria include evaluations of homeowners associations. In Gilbert, Arizona (number 2 
approximately 90% of the housing is in an HOA. In fact, the town doesn’t issue building permits unless an HOA is included. The developer leaves a quasi-government behind to be administered by a group of volunteers. These individuals make decisions on one of the most significant investments anyone makes and oversight procedures for these volunteers are not in place. And Town officials refuse to remedy this inequity.
Would you recommend uneducated, unlicensed and unregulated individuals manage someone’s 401K or any other asset?
Here’s the challenge. Find a home in Gilbert, Arizona that is under 10 years old not in an HOA? The tired tag line realtors and government officials use is living in an HOA is a choice. But it’s not, to have the amenities listed in your criteria, if you live in the Phoenix metro region, you have to reside in an HOA community and this directly impacts the quality of your life.
You missed the best place to live of all - It goes by the initials U.S.A. Some of us are fat, some are thin. Some make a lot of money, many do not. We are all trying to make the best of what we have. Some of us ride bikes when we can. Some of us believe the government is working in our best interest most of the time but should never be left on auto pilot without adult supervision. We realize things aren’t perfect but gerally believe things can improve. We are a clever group of people that like to work hard and have a good time as well. We never forget how we got here and honor those that came before us realizing their hardships and determination. As for the idea of creating a list of best small town places to live based on numerical data - forget it! Close the books and put away the spreadsheets and go out doors and say hi to someone you don’t know. You have just taken the first step to creating your own best place to live.
Where is Mill Creek Washington - this City is one of the best City’s to live.
How do we get this City information on your list?
I extremely disagree with this list. For someone to put this list together and have accurate results, they would have needed to live in each of the towns for several years. I know from personal experience that some of the towns mentioned are horrible places to settle down in.
Where do you get your info about air quality? Check http://www.stateoftheair.org/ The American Lung Association’s website.
New Jersey gets an F for almost every county except for 2, which get a D and a C (I’m surprised to see a C, they’re getting better). That’s why I moved from NJ to Palm Beach County Florida, which gets an A.
I would think that measuring scores per capita (say per 10,000 residents) rather than a best places average would be a better measure of how a town stacks up. Of course San Francisco is going to have more movie theaters than Madison, WI…is that really a meaningful comparison though?
When I saw your choices — Oklahoma, Minnesota, Arkansas etc — I thought, who are these guys kidding? Just the weather in most of your top choices is horrendous. The west rocks — everyone is moving here for a reason — and not just the weather. I think you need to redo your matrix.
Cedar City, Utah
CONGRATULATIONS Garland Texas!!!! Born & raised in Garland Texas. Graduated South Garland High School in 1984. I live & work in Garland Texas. Way to Go - - TOP 100 - - #67. http://www.RodneyRowan.com
I’m glad to see that cities in Montana did not make the top 100. That way, we can continue to keep “The Last Best Place” to ourselves.
Only one city in Iowa on the top 100?! Don’t think you did your research! Affordable homes, reasonable property taxes, great schools, abundance of art & entertainment opportunities…much, much more, but then I don’t want to seem a braggart.
Gimme a break - this “list” is obviously biased to the Northeast and Midwest. There are only FOUR cities from the entire Southeast (3 FL, 1 TN) but NINE in NJ alone??????? A list like this is difficult to put together, but this is ridiculous.
To anyone who knows Parsippany and the other NJ towns you ranked highly, your survey grossly flawed. My apologies to their respective residents, but ranking Parsippany, Edison, or Franklin Twp. above such beautiful towns such as Morristown, Montclair, or Summit, to name a few, hasn’t seen any of these towns and is merely plugging numbers in a computer to find results.
am considering ALbuquerque, NM.
would like any and all info you can provide on the factors you chose for the top 100 (Albuquerque) not being one of them.
thanks,
FYI, Hunter Mill is a housing development filled with McMansions, not a town or anything remotely resembling a distinct area. Along with the rest of Northern Virginia, it is overcrowded and unbelieveably expensive, and it lacks authenticity. Get ready for an awful commute, especially if you work in DC.
You missed the best place in America: Saratoga Springs, NY located near beautiful Lake George and the Adirondacks with a vibrant walkable downtown, Skidmore, a performing arts center, great shopping, dining and a racetrack. You can learn all about this great place at Saratoga.com.
I have lived in several states and currently reside in Michigan. I lived in Troy and I would not recommend it. It is snooty and dirty. If you love traffic and cookie cutter houses than this is the place to be.
I completely disagree with Abington being on this list. There’s no easy access to highways. There’s too many strip malls. The only hospital is below avg in surveys. It’s in throwing distance of North Philadelphia (crime). There are PLENTY of other “local to Philadelphia” towns that are much better.
The housing prices are actually much higher here than on paper. Most “homes” in the 200s are run-down or trailer homes, due to the inflated land costs.
These review are not even close. South of Main St. (U.S. 441) is nothing sort of a warzone. I have been in Law Enforcement in this county (Orange/Orlando) for almost twenty years.
Don’t move to this area!
We bought our first home in Carrollton, TX in 1996 and fell in love with the great parks, rec centers and schools. The location in between I35, and the tollways allow great access to downtown Dallas, DFW airport and Love Field. DART rail arrives in 2010, so downtown access will be better than ever!
How can you list anything in the LA area (excluding beach towns)?!! Irvine?! really!?? Not to mention the extremely boring, sprawl town (i.e. driving not walking) of Sunnyvale. Have lived and visited these places.
Gaithersburg It is the place to raise a family . We lived here for the past 15yrs . It’s safe, clean , has a lots to offer to families . My husband got offer to move to SC with bigger house and bigger salary . We turned it down because my city it is heaven on earth . Has many services , activites year round . It is one place , you will never have hard time to keep you kids engage with activites that are safe ,educational , diverse and sure make you don’t went to leave . I have friends moved from NY, NJ,FL ,GA couldn’t believe it how clean and safe the city . Whether you are rich, poor , american or come from different part of the world you are welcome in my city ( new comers club ) .
Irvine and Fountain Valley–have your “experts” ever been there?? They have some of the worst traffic in the country. I think of them as two parts of hell that must be traversed when travelling from LA to San Diego. The former, also hell; the latter, rapidly becoming hellish.
Why not list the least expensive places, with low crime, little or no traffic, and best quality of life. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, there’s Princess Anne, Salisbury, etc. You can get incredible historic homes for 100-200,000. You’re near the water (beach and bay) and under 3 hours from Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC or Norfolk. townofprincessannedotcom or bookloversbnbdotcom
We wonder why American’s are losing their homes left and right. If we want to live in any of the top 100 cities in the United States we get in over our heads when we buy the “average” house.
Um, Round Rock is NOT a stand alone city. Who did you interview? People that just moved here from other state? Almost everyone living in RR works for Dell, or they drive into Austin for work. The traffic is always bad now. It used to be a great little place to live, but now it’s just like every other bustling place. It’s borders blend into every other town around it, with no gap between it and Austin. I had to laugh when I saw the cover as we look to move from Texas to a state that has views and cleaner air. I said to my son “we know none of the towns around here will be in the top 10.” Imagine my shock to see Round Rock at #7! Reading the other readers comments has helped me to know to look at other areas while we search out our desired state.
I am shocked that southern states were barely showing on your list. None in South Carolina? None in Georgia? I don’t know how you came up with this list, but something tells me it is faulty. And so many in MN? I mean, I am sure it is a nice place but the winters are brutal.
I love it here in Georgia. THe real estate is reasonably priced, the people are genuine, and we have extended summers and falls.
Prescott Az. should not be on anyones list for any reason. Unemployment is up to 4.8%. The police department is short 10 officers. $10.00 hr. jobs if your lucky, then you will never be able to by a home in Prescott. Young folks have to look in Prescott Valley or Chino Valley to find an affordable home. Housing developments everywhere but these are always $300k and more and a water shortage appears to be in the future. Hillsides are gone, big box stores everywhere. The local government is based on a “good old boy” mentality. After 18 years here, I know of what I speak.
I’ve lived in Greenwich and other well-to-do towns in Fairfield County for over 20 years. New Canaan, Darien, Westport and Greenwich Connecticut (all in Fairfield County) may look nice in a picture book….lots of New England charm….but that’s as far as I’d go in terms of best places to live. You need to make well over $200,000 just to live in one of these towns and then tack on a hefty 6-figure bonus if you expect to live the life that many do. It’s a lot like Stepford. Perfectly tanned, manicured and coiffed people driving $60,000 SUVs to the yacth club, living in MacMansions, never having cleaned their own bathroom, have lawns without a single weed thanks to the hired gardner, nanny’s galore, kids driving beamers and having all together too much time and expendable cash from mommy and daddy…thus a lot of drinking and drugs….and way, way too many parents on Prozac!!! It’s an extreme example of over indulgence and stifling snobbery. If you raise a family here, don’t expect your kids to grow up with a realistic or necessarily respectful view of the real world.
I lived in Prescott for 11 years. There is nothing to do there at all. I’m surprised it’s not lower because all there is to do is eat and get high.
I would be willing to bet that education level and income level have a lot more to do with low BMI than any other factors. Almost all these places are full of educated individuals.
Typo.. California is the most expensive to live because it is where the majority of people want to be. You don’t have to read a top 100 list to figure out what the best places are - just look at the price of a 3-bedroom home for the area.
The list for the “youngest cities” is a joke, they are all collegetowns. Of course you will have the average age in the low 20s.
I’ve lived in California my whole life. Whenever I go on vacation out of the state I realize how lucky I am to live here. For the majority of the state the weather is mild. Just about from anywhere in the state you can drive a couple hours and be at the ocean, desert, or mountains. That is California is expensive to live - it is where the majority of people want to be.
no midwestern counties as the thinnest- i am shocked, oh wait i have to go, the pizza man is at the door
When I saw that Colton, Highland and Rialto were part of the best places list along with Stockton, California I knew these lists were suspect. Bend, Oregon–who can afford it? It’s rigged by advertisers. So what else is new
It’s so sad that even the “skinniest” county in America possesses an average BMI that just misses the overweight mark of 25.
I dont know why you would say the list is skewed. Maybe you should go lookup what that means. I think what you are trying to say is you (like a lot of us) have not heard of some of these places. This is not a list that consists only of major metropolitan locations only in the places considered. I thought it was interesting myself, if true. However, Im not getting a real good feel on the results. Is it mostly beach areas, poor people, or wealthy? Seems like a mixture, but IDK.
Number 12 on the list…I can see it. I mt bike 4-5 times a week on a local trail and it’s pretty busy. Aside from that trail, all the other ones in the city are used alot. We dont have very hot summers so you can ride, run or walk until about 10am before it gets warm and the winters, as long as its not raining/snowing you just need to layer and still be able to enjoy the outdoors. I love the scenery. As far as scenery goes Prescott is wonderful for outdoors activity.
As I read the comments here, I can’t help but wonder why these list are getting so popular. Even if you give these writers any credibility, are you supposed to move to the “top ranked” place every time one is published? I hope that wherever you live, you simply get involved in your community and try to make it a better place to live. I think I live in an amazing place… The Sand Key/Clearwater Beach area of Clearwater, Florida. Like every other place I have lived, we have some wonderful aspects to daily life here and some we can work to improve. In the end, wherever you live, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do Clearwater.
So, what is this saying? It’s good to be rich? It’s nice to be rich and live in a high income town with other rich people. Great insight.
how on earth did Edina, MN not make the top 100…when there were 4 other MN towns in the top 26…what are we, dogmeat?
I live in Santa Fe, NM and this place is full of overweight people. Whoever put this place on the map with the thin ones, never walked the streets of Santa Fe.
Obviously nobody checked with Fairbanks Alaska; which by the way, is part of the U.S. Last winter we were hitting -50 below farenheight.
These Top Ten/Top 100 lists are always such blarney. Why do we care what a few ill-informed journalist interns think. For the most part, these lists are only good for one thing: printing them out and using them to line my cat’s litter box. BTW I am amazed so few towns in New England are noted. Any little town in Maine, New Hampsire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island or Connecticut could/should have been on the list.
I’m surprised about Naperville, IL. It’s all boring houses that look the same and chain restaurants and stores. Nothing unique or interesting. Plus the commuter train into Chicago has a 9 year wait for parking. I can’t wait to move from here.
This list is one of those “correlation doesn’t indicate causation” types of things. For instance, Philadelphia is considered a fat city, but if you live in one of the zip codes where you walk to work everyday, you’re going to be skinny. I live in center city Philly, and I can gaurentee the average BMI in my neighborhood is below 25%. So the term “county” is what’s suspect here. Cities, metro regions, strict suburbs and rural areas are being evaluated against the same scale when they really shouldn’t be.
Are the BMI ratings an agregate score including children and adults? For adults, BMI scores above 24.9 (25+) are considered “Over weight”. Only the top 5 skinniest counties are not over weight.
I moved from St. Peters to Orlando, FL because of the weather. Well after living here 3 years I wish I had never left. St. Peters is a great place!
Where did they get this body mass
index information for every county
in the US? Most people have never
had it measured, including me, so
where do these numbers come from?
Sounds like BestPlaces in pulling
numbers out of the air.
SSSSSHHHHHHH! You don’t want your city on the list of best places to live, because everyone will want to live there, and then it won’t be one of the best places to live any more!
note that 80% of the top 25 skinniest counties are technically overweight (BMI over 25). And those who complain about BMI not being accurate, the proof is there to see: the USA is amazingly fat.
“Youngest cities?” Half of those are college towns, and those residents don’t live there for long. Additionally, Manhattan, KS is not a place that I, as a youngish person seeking life in a young town would seek. There’s more than a few problems with this list.
I’ve lived in Scottsdale for over six years. It’s a fine place to live for singles and families if you have an above average income. The public schools are good and the neighborhoods are fairly safe, in regards to crime. Most of the crime statistics are burglaries. If you like shopping and night life, it has plenty to offer. There’s great trails for hiking and mountain biking if you can get past the summer heat.
However, the main hurdle is the lack of culture and community support. Scottsdale’s number one focus is on real estate and retail businesses. There isn’t much to do for youth unless you can afford to pay for classes. Mesa, Tempe, or Gilbert have more to offer in this respect. They have better museums and more family events.
As a physician, your skinniest county list disturbs me. a BMI near or over 25 (i.e. county on the list) is considered overweight and unhealthy and this list makes it seem okay. Americans are getting too fat and sedentary and you ought to make it clear that this list reflects that even the “best” is doing poorly.
Fishers, IN? Move there if you are looking for an arrogant,despotic town council. No voting for mayor, etc there. Illegal, forced annexation of land just to get tax dollars. Want to make up your own mind as to the color of your house? Better not move here. Welcome to Stepford, IN.
Dumb to do youngest towns. All of them are college towns so of course they are going to be young. At least do youngest cities so one major university doesn’t skew the numbers.
Boy is this list going to change with the price of gas going through the roof! I have been to most of these “citys” and most of them are burbs’ NOT actual citys. Now that it costs a c note to fill the GMC Danali living in a place like Westminster, CO and driving 100 miles a day to work, (in Denver) will seem like a very bad idea. the suburb is boreing living arrangement anyway, one whose time is past, the last thing in the world needs is another ulgy boreing suburb!
NJ’s best kept secret - the closest suburban-style town to NYC was surprisingly not on the list: SECAUCUS!
last year claremont, CA made the top five and now it doesn’t make the top 100… it better in norman? this list is really a joke on america and you should stop.
Texas is good place to live…BUT.. we really want out of the bigger city mess. We do not have to drive all far to work, but the traffic is awful at times. We live very close to the lake and it nice to have around,but pine away for a much more simplier way of living. Like my motto says ” bigger and better is not always the best” 
Interesting, I have lived in Chesapeake, Brookline and Madison: all in the same range. I would not put Chesapeake anywhere near the other two: Public education quality in Chesapeake just doesn’t come close to the other two locations; public transportation is virtually non-existent in Chesapeake, while readily available in the other two areas. Quality of life just isn’t as good. Also, the census definition of Chesapeake belies reliance on much poorer economic areas nearby.
Greenburgh??? You have got to be kidding. The taxes are appaling. Did you notice they were “N/A” in the description? Coincidence? We think not.
The supervisor makes house calls because the town payroll is so overbloated he needs something to do!
I live in the Kansas City metro area, and let me just say that I have NO IDEA what would promote Shawnee, KS to the top 100 places to live in America. Take this list with a huge grain of salt.
I moved to a Lincoln RI a year ago when they were boasting of one of the 100 great places to live with banners everywhere, now that name is off the list–so what gives, why did the same place went out of the list!!!!!It is still the same and the people are still very courteous, the job loss is no worse!!!!!
If anyone is considering a move to Lee’s Summit, Missouri for their No. 7 ranked school district, I would advise you to think again if you have a child with special needs. The Lee’s Summit School District has had numerous issues with their special needs programs especially when it comes to involving our children with Autism. Make sure you do your homework before going to this school!
I am a 20 year resident of Franklin Township and have three children in the school system grades 4-7. I too was suprised to see Franklin rate so high so I took the time to read all of the comments. I realize that in NJ there are many beautiful places to live, many more asthetically pleasing than parts of Franklin. These areas might also lack the diversity and industry. Yes, the taxes are high, but not relative to the rest of the tri-State area. Franklin has a little of everything, and that incldes the lower income areas. Very few towns don’t have areas that could use a little help, and if they don’t have a more run down section, chances are you couldn’t afford that area, or you couldn’t find work there! Finally, the schools. For a district of over 7,000 students, Franklin offers almost anything you could want. My children continue to score identically with friends from surrounding towns in “better districts”. The education is available if you want it, to anyone who wants it, regardless of income. For those who experienced the race riots 25+ years ago, the south was going through a very similar experience, and for those afraid of gang violence, you had better stay our of at least 30 of the 50 states where I believe there have been instances of gang violence, though I would need to check that statistic to be sure there aren’t more! The real world has people of every ethnicity, race, religion and economic level and Franklin is a slice of the real world. Throw in wonderful parks, golf courses, scenic canal/river walks, industry, business, and the NJ education system which is one of the best in the country along with the proximity to NYC & Philly and I’d like to see any of those complaining find a more affordable location in the same area.
Jon from Shreveport hit the nail on the head; it’s mostly all suburbs of large cities, with the resulting skewed data. I did especially like the “purchasing power” statistic, though; it’s huge range from the 50s to the 120s. I am quite surprised that there are so many listed from the Rust Belt and comparatively few from the Sun Belt. And so many in NJ of all places?
St. Peters, Missouri is a wonderful place to raise a family. Crime is low and there is plenty of shopping in the area. Just the fact that its adjoining neighbors St. Charles and O’Fallon are also on the list shows how great of an area it actually is. Wouldn’t want to move anywhere else in the U.S.
The best place to live?
Bay area!(northern california), perfect wheather and the diversity.
No place like home!
I chose to retire and live in Peachtree City, GA, because of the uniqueness of the city and the proximity to a large urban area. With its golf cart/biking paths, its excellent schools, its lakes and wooded areas, and its low crime rate, I cannot understand why Peachtree City, GA, is not one of the top ten places to live.
This list is a bit skewed because its primarily comprised of suburbs. Sure, they are incorporated municipalities with their own school districts, etc but the preponderance of this list has very nice places to live, that are just suburbs which are economically dependant on the economies of the larger city/metro area they are in. For example, I like McKinney Texas, but its not really a little town of about 100,000; its more like a section or large set of interconnected neighborhoods within in a massive urban sprawl of over 4 million, better known as Dallas.
While the greater Dallas metro area has tremendous job opportunities and many suburbs with affordable housing and good school districts, there are plenty of poorly performing schools and high crime neighborhoods just a few miles away from these suburban wonderlands. I suppose its the trick of the municipality being separately incorporated that allows their economically segregated school districts, property values, average incomes, average education levels, and average crime rate data to be used to create an artificially rosy picture of suburban bliss. The municipal incorporation trick may produce the image of picturesque prosperity, but it is really just filtering out all the poorer neighborhoods, underperforming school districts, and high crime areas that are invariably just a few miles down the road from most of these suburban havens.
I think the result is that these “best 100 places to live” lists cherry pick the nicest suburbs, while not including the aggregate crime statistics for the entire metro areas they rely on economically. This creates two effects: 1) It artificially shoves out true mid sized American cities that are not directly integrated into a larger metro area. 2) It artificially deflates the rankings of the properly named larger metro areas like Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, D.C. New York, etc. because it removes the surrounding suburbs from the equation.
Perhaps there isnt a solution to this method of organization of cities and suburbs. But it seems to me that the list might as well pick neighborhoods/school districts within a given city, large or small and compare the property values, crime rates, average earnings, and quality of schools within that subdistrict. There are great neighborhoods inside the city limits of Houston or Philadelphia or Chicago or many other cities, but you’d never know it from this list. Similarly, there are great neighborhoods in mid sized cities like Baton Rouge, LA or Birmingham, AL or Winston-Salem, NC or Shreveport, LA; and within the neighborhood or section of town the crime is low, the incomes high, and the schools good. Even in the much maligned Shreveport, if you live in the Southeast part of town, there are many wonderful neighborhoods with convenient access to shopping, freeways, and a set of outstanding magnet schools; all in a metro area of around 250,000 with a newly booming oil & gas industry and budding movie industry. Sure, there are bad parts of town in a place like Shreveport, with higher crime neighborhoods and underachieving schools, but those bad parts of town are in every city. You just dont see those less desirable geographically adjacent areas included as part of the suburban paradise they are representing. When the metro area is large enough, and the suburbs independently incorporate themselves to exclude the less desirable neighborhoods which arent included in their township but are within a 5-10 minute drive away, an inaccurate picture develops. This is not to take anything away from the wonderful suburb communities in places like McKinney or Frisco, Texas or Naperville, IL or the like. Its just that this method of list categorization artificially limits out both the true name of the great American cities and it excludes the genuine mid sized cities that form such a vital part of the American identity.
I don’t get it..some of these picks show average home price hundreds of thousands of dollars higher than what the average income is….so how is that a good place to live??? who is buying the homes…surely not the average person living there?
Funny, the place I live in, West Goshen PA ,was #12 last year in this list and isn’t even on the list at all this year. What does that say? It’s almost like being a one hit wonder,isn’t it? Why would anyone move on the basis of Money’s endorsement when in the coming years they could be telling us to move to Anchorage, AK? The list seems to be “based” on data that doesn’t take into account real world issues like, could you stand the winters? Would you be accepted by the locals and can you get your favorite food within a 25 mile radius? So many things make a town the best place to live. But my town West Chester PA is the very best place to live, for me.
Dear CNN - Re: “Greenburgh,” NY - you don’t really know what you’re talking about. Greenburgh is an overarching town in Westchester County that’s home to several VERY distinct villages - Tarrytown, Elmsford, etc., which vary tremendously in terms of housing costs, quality of life, etc. Greenburgh is really an administrative zone rather than a distinct and separate community. It doesn’t even have a school system. Yes, I agree that the town hall has excellent services. But so does my local VILLAGE hall - and that’s the real locus of all activity around here.
Hmm… I thought my town is a pretty good place to live, population of about 15,000, nice schools. Don’t see it on the list.
We moved from Texas to Highlands Ranch, CO (#12) a year ago. Great place to raise kids, if you can afford it. Colorado has better scenery but rude, self-centered, unfriendly people.
Honestly, I’m shocked that a city in MN is number 1! I’ve been there, and I always kinda thought people in Minnesota were kinda different. Not that people in Baltimore are normal!
EUGENE, OREGON. I lived there for 33 years and I can guarantee you that it will RAIN just about every day for 9 months straight—October through June, and in some years throw in August and September as well. The sky will be gray. Forget looking for the sun. Your shoes will turn green. The floor mats in your car will sprout mushrooms. Grass will grow in your bumpers. And if you can handle that, then you have found one green health-food heaven.
If the Chicago suburbs of Naperville, Bolingbrook and Aurora(com’on now) made the list and are superior places to live and Bloomington - Normal did not, Why in the world is everybody moving here??
My wife’s mom can’t believe we moved to Bolingbrook 5 years ago. Her view of it is 10-15 years old. Stop by, you won’t believe what the Mayor has built in the last 10 years. Shopping, restaurants, interchange location, amenities, and recreation facilities are rightfully award winning. And the improvements are only 50% complete (even more better hotels, shopping, restaurants, and luxury housing developments are coming soon). The changes have been dramatic (plus a short 10 minute commute to downtown Naperville #3). Diversity a plus and a minus. School performance though has not yet caught up with other changes, but expect its only a matter of time before the draw of the community improves it.
Maple Grove, MN (#41 on the list) is the northern neighbor of Plymouth and I do agree that it is a really nice place. Within 5 minutes by bike, I have access to miles and miles of trails in the Elm Creek Park Reserve. I can actually put my mountain bike to good use! You can actually find a few dirt trails! In the Winter, these become ski/snowmobile trails!
The Arbor Lakes Shopping Area is huge and growing fast. It has pretty much anything you’d need and more. It’s only a 7 minute drive from my house. Maple Grove Days, which just happened, is pretty fun and the fireworks were way better than I expected from a city of this size.
Plus, downtown Minneapolis is only a 20 minute drive on the freeway, assuming non-rush hour times. (well the freeway portion is 20 min. Once you get into the city, it slows down.)
Although Plymouth does have better schools, our two cities are very similar, especially in location and demographics. They are both just suburbs though. They would be a lot less successful without Minneapolis.
If anyone wants to relocate to the highest potential town in the US, visit http://www.buckeyeaz.gov
The town has had tremendous growth, #2 in the nation 2007 (Forbes). There are a lot of projects going on, even with the slowdown of the economy.
2 great masterplanned communities, and a plethora of others in the pipeline, outside of the box development planning (mixed use).
Best town ever!!!
Having spent seven months in Fort Collins after living in New Mexico, I do not find it that spectacular. If you are accustomed to extremely cold winters and don’t mind sharing restaurants with college kids, it’s great. Although Fort Collins is near Rocky Mountain National Park, there is no view of the mountains from the city as it is obstructed by the rather unattractive foothills.
Of the 100 Best Places to Live in the US, nearly one quarter are in Texas or New Jersey? Give me a break! Who put this list together anyway?
My family moved to Plymouth, MN last year, and we love it here. I do agree that it is a wonderful place to live. However… the best?? We exchanged a 4 bed/3 bath with 3200 square feet, with horse barn, 5 acres with a bubbling creek for less than $300,000 in OH for a 5/3 bath here for $410,000. The cost of living is generally 33% than OH. You have to be make 6 figures to live here. And though I do love it here, we had over 40 days below zero this past year– and February doesn’t seem to end. So, I think Plymouth, MN is a great place to live, but you have to be middle/upper income and you need to like cold weather!
What a joke. Troy MI. There ARE NO JOBS in MI. Home prices are terribly depressed, I was there last year. I KNOW. The article is pure BS.
Naperville, IL 3rd place, on what basis ? Overly house price, good school, congested suburb. I don’t know how they come up with such a nonsense list and fool readers.
I’m so glad to see Hastings, NE on the list. I live in Hastings and LOVE it! I only commute 2.5 minutes.
why in the world is Bellevue, Wa on this list??? Home prices are 2x, income is worth 30%, and job growth is less than 4%…..definitely not on the top 100!
Many people think Colorado Springs is the “Dream City”. Believ me it is not. I have lived here, on and off, since 1973. The people are not very friendly, the suicide rate is much higher than the national average and it really is a boring place to live. You have to trave many miles if you want to leave the area. Most places are
a days drive. I get island fever.
The only reason I’m here is my grand children.
Oh, the city is a model for urban spraul. It’s an environmental disaster.
If you ask me Sandy Springs GA is one of the best places to live, great schools, the home of 5 top 100 companies, low taxes, well managed city, good public transportation and the home values in Sandy Springs continues to increase. For more information about Sandy Springs GA visit http://www.kstrealty.com
Look at New Jersey! I lived there, I loved it, but I wouldn’t have ever guessed it would be the 3rd state by number of “best cities to live” in it. Especially tied with MN and behind number 1 TX? The state of NJ is mostly two big suburbs, of either NYC or Philly. It looks like all those TX towns are in the DFW area, with a few along the edge of Houston. Round Rock is the only “standalone” city listed in TX. Easily 80% of these cities are bedroom communities within a 20 mile or somewhat longer commute of a large city. Which isn’t necessarily a “crock” or a bad thing, I just find it interesting. Maybe the stats look better where there is a certain “critical mass” of economic activity.
You are way off on the numbers of museums within fifteen miles of Euclid. You have the Health Museum and the Cleveland Art Museum. You missed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Science Museum, The Childrens’ Museum, Crawford Auto Museum, Western Reserve Historical Society’s Museum, and the Natural History Museum. There is also a Medical History Museum by Case Western Reserve University. You really missed the boat on that one! Holden Arboretum is listed twice, but you missed the Lake County Farm Park, a working farm exhibit. There is also the Cleveland Zoo, The Cleveland Botanical Gardens also in University Circle by the Art Museum. I could go on and on….
While it is easier to come up with best places to avoid surely ‘Best place to live’ is entirely down to importance someone attachs to certain criteria in their life. Genuine seasonal change may be more desirable for some (other wise we would all live in San Diego)for others cutural opportunities or jobs rank higher, or affordable housing. Frankly I’d put that way up there in importance… I am originally from UK, but have lived in Bay Area, California for 20 years in housing that would have cost me one fifth elsewhere. The job market does not make up for it, especially given average daily hour long commutes, and that’s 7 days a week in BA. From what I have seen in frequent travels out of state the standard of living far exceeds the golden state elsewhere in USA. In particular “the middle third” of th country. Comments from utopic suburbs like Danville or San Mateo in California are written by someone who probably bought property prior to 1980’s and current property tax rates. Call me jaded, but California has a mild winter and a beautiful coastline, but good luck owning a piece of it unless you purchased 20 years ago or houshold income exceeds $250K a year. Mid-west is where future growth will come. Especially for anyone under 50. Am moving there ASAP. Already has some of the best college towns, good grade schools, great roads (if you’ve driven on Bay Area freeways you will know what the opposite feels like) a neighborly culture, and apart from northern plain states, milder weather than most realise. That said, best place to live currently appears to be one of those fridgid states Californians are apt to make fun of. Methinks MN has got the last laugh.
Hoboken for a long commute? Are you swimming across the river to Wall Street? Path ride is about 10 minutes…
Interesting list… where is it that these people commute to? Bismark, Lincoln, Little Rock, Topeka, Boise?
No wonder they top the list of short commutes, they surround cities with low population.
Marquette, MI as a top 25 place for singles??? You have not done your research unless you mean the single wants to stay single.
I am so glad to see that McKinney made the list! It really is the prototypical home town. It has great schools, wonderful neighborhoods and a revitilized historic downtown. It has been either the fastest growing city in the US or in the top 3 for several years…and for a reason. It is a fantastic place to raise a family.
Good to see much of Johnson County Kansas represented in the top 100. As we have all said; Johnson county is the best kept secret nationwide…
I spent a a lot of time in Ann Arbor growing up and it really is a beautiful city. The University of Michigan and the town feed off each other. Many ethnic groups are represented here, and being open minded to that is a plus. The stores are mid to high end downtown, with a lot of “yuppies” and academics. Within a 10 minute drive out of town you can find yourself in the “sticks” or drive a bit further, and you’re not too far from Detroit, other larger metropolitan areas, and Canada. A nice central location that doesn’t make you feel like you’re trapped. Lots of trees, too (hence the name), and very lush. Schools-OK, not great. Lots of options here.
McKinney isn’t that great. A run down east side with a triple homicide a couple of years ago, and a west side where police issue tickets for violations like parking the wrong way in front of your own house. Growth spurs a need for money. McKinney’s gotten too big for it’s own good. Don’t believe everything you read.
Billings is the most diversified economy, great location but not in the mountains, good work ethic (unlike most college ski towns).
So heres the deal. I live in Rochester, MN, number 90 on the list and I could really care less where it ranks on this list. I love it here. Yes the winters are cold, but its beautiful when you look out and the snow is falling, plus, there are a lot of things to do in the snow. The fall here is absolutely incredible. As far as jobs, ummm, have you ever heard of Mayo Clinic or IBM? Two sectors of the business world that will never go away, therefore, jobs. Now, I dont work at Mayo, my wife does, but both of our commutes is 20 minutes, TOPS!!! Thats with bad traffic. There is plenty to do for entertainment, and if you really want to, you can drive to the Twin Cities or Chicago for the weekend and I dont have to spend $1.1 million on a 2500 sq. ft. house with .1 acres of land. I grew up in small town Iowa, cant stand the big cities(all that ridiculous traffic) and will stay here in little ole’ Rochester. Good luck to the rest of you.
First off, 140 inches is a gross understatement. Some years we’ve had more than 250 inches of snow. As much as I love Marquette, this article is biased. It fails to mention that we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, high teen pregnancy rates, and highest average gas prices in the state. It also fails to mention the unpredictability of weather. I’ve seen snow every month of the year, including on the 4th of July. Last year one day we had 70 degree weather then BAM it was hailing and every car parked outside had hail damage. Really, unless you’re an outdoor enthusiast, the only thing to do here is hit up a few bars. Oh, and in the winter you can always shovel snow if you get bored. There’s plenty of THAT to go around. As for the dating scene here, it may be a college town, but it’s still slim pickins. Funny story, last year a deer ran into the dorms on campus… Still, this place grows on you and it IS a wonderful place to vacation.
Great… but it these areas don’t seem to be on the top of places that are showing job growth or any attractive features.
The criteria you use to choose your best cities produce an entirely misleading picture for many of your readers. A city that’s a great place for someone who bought their home twenty years ago and has a secure job may be a disaster for a younger couple who don’t yet own a home. “Starter” homes at a “bargain” $250,000, in the present economy? That’s beyond absurd.
I’ve actually lived in some of the cities that have made your list, Fishers, IN, Flower Mound, TX, and O’fallon, MO to name a few. I still don’t understand how O’Fallon made the list. There’s very little diversity, culture or shopping. There’s also one really important aspect you’ve missed, there are very few newcomers as most people in Missouri stay in Missouri.
Good to see North Texas well represented. There’s a reason why people are flocking here. Sometime I almost wonder if anyone here is from Texas anymore. Jobs are plentiful and great place to raise a family. And being in the middle of the US, any destination is a quick hop away from the massive DFW airport.
I’d have to say I’m proud that Eagan, MN (#17) made the list this year. It truly is a great suburb to live in.
Here’s something to consider when being offended that their “amazing hometown” didn’t make this list. Try LIVING IN THE TOP CITIES. That would help you understand that your city may not be the best city to live in.
And saying that the Northern states are too cold is untrue. We ACTUALLY have four disttinct seasons, unlike the southern states. And those who say there was too many northern cities should consider living here before insulting them.
And last, but not least, everyone has their own opinions about which place is best to live in. So consider that next time you go criticizing some other place you’ve never had the chance to live.
just bought 2 beautiful homes one for my son and am looking forward to relaxinf in this safe beautiful underpopulated town of nort port fl.