With its annual 2007 survey for Best Small US Cities to Live In, CNN/Money Magazine posted also an online poll, for big cities. At the time of this article, there have been almost 400,000 user votes and the rankings give winner the city of San Diego (California), followed by Chicago (Illinois) and Phoenix (Arizona).

It is not clear how publishers selected the 10 big cities for this poll, but the results may be relevant enough to get an idea where people think is best to live. American cities do not usually rank in the top spots in worldwide surveys mainly because of some relatively high criminal rates. However, this does not mean that life can not be great there. Continue reading »

With its annual 2006 survey for Best Small US Cities to Live In, CNN/Money Magazine posted also a top 10 of best big US cities. The winner is the city of Colorado Springs (Colorado), followed by Austin (Texas) and Mesa (Arizona).

There are several other rankings, but we will briefly present here only the top three cities of this specific survey. American cities do not usually rank in the top spots in worldwide surveys. Main reason is high criminal rates. This does not mean that life can not be great there. Big job opportunities and clean air, this seems to be some of the criteria these cities have been selected for. Continue reading »

The annual 2007 survey of Money Magazine, for the best small US cities to live in, places Middleton (Wisconsin) on the top spot, followed by Hanover (New Hampshire) and Louisville (Colorado).

The survey focuses on small American cities, with good schools and safe streets, great economic opportunities and a sense of community, affordable houses or more expensive houses good to live in. The economic boom of these small cities may lead to an increased cost of living over the years, but thing is all could be worth it. Continue reading »

The annual 2006 survey of Money Magazine, for the best small US cities to live in, places Fort Collins (Colorado) on the top spot, followed by Naperville (Illinois) and the diverse community of Sugar Land (Texas).

It looks like Americans are flocking to places that offer amenities and big-city opportunities. Many are looking now for more green space and less stress. This is why small cities, with good schools, affordable housing and clean air, became an attraction. See what the top 3 small US cities from this survey has to offer. Continue reading »

The annual 2005 survey of Money Magazine, for the best small US cities to live in, places Moorestown (New Jersey) on the top spot, followed by Bainbridge Island (Washington) and Naperville (Illinois).

This is the first available online survey of this kind, for best small American cities, of CNN/Money Magazine. Editors started with more than 1,300 cities and finally settled on a top of 100 cities. Many small American cities have good schools, great jobs and  affordable housing. Population is typically in the tens of thousands, but life is good and cost of living may be cheaper. Continue reading »