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 »

According to a May 2008 survey of the Canadian newspaper MoneySense, the area of Ottawa-Gatineau (shared between Ontario and Quebec) tops the most prosper places to live in Canada, followed by the cities of Victoria (in British Columbia) and Fredericton (New Brunswick).

Among most important factors taken into account in this survey: weather, jobs, home prices, crime, availability of doctors, walking or biking to work, air quality. It was not about who has the best scenery, best restaurants or best beaches. The results can be used by people planning to relocate, to invest in real estate or just to compare how their own community ranks against its neighbor cities. Continue reading »

In April 2008, editors of Best Life Magazine used public data from various sources and analyzed 257 American cities, in order to determine the best places to raise a family. Honolulu took the first place, followed by Virginia Beach and Billings (Montana).

If you are a parent, interested in good schools with above-average test scores and favorable student-teacher ratios for your children, if you want to raise your children in a safe area, with family-friendly neighborhoods and respectable budgets, check the list below. A good quality of life is also determined by a large number of museums and parks, and available pediatricians. Multi-hour commutes and expensive houses, as well as divorcing friends and neighbors, are not what you are looking for. Continue reading »

In their 10th annual ranking for 2008 of the Best Places for Business and Careers, Forbes Magazine finds Raleigh of North Carolina as the top city, followed by Boise (Idaho) and Fort Collins (Colorado).

The rankings cover 200 largest metro areas and are based on nine factors. Among the considered factors of the survey, for these business-welcoming metros: low business costs, a solid job growth and an educated labor supply. Six of the 10 metro areas are around capital cities. For a third straight year, the Southeast is home to half of the top 10. Continue reading »