Money Magazine Best Places to Live are revealed

If you live in one of Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live,” you’d be living well in what is likely a small town. Big cities hurl the difficulties of overcrowding, safety issues and huge costs, making them not so family friendly. To rank on the Money Magazine “Best Places to Live” list, a city must rank well in jobs, school quality, family safety, recreation and overall veneer. Money Magazine “Best Places to Live” are intended to be America’s most family-friendly cities.

Article resource: Money Magazine Best Places to Live highlights small town life by Personal Money Store

Money Magazine ‘Best Places to Live’ – a sample

Here’s a preview of the top the top entries within the Money Magazine “Best Places to Live” list. Onboard Informatics provided CNN Money with the population, income, sales tax and other data that made the list possible. The overall rate of installment loans for bad credit origination – whether they be short term loans or short term loan – is also below the national average in these cities, as job availability, average income and overall quality of life make financial emergencies somewhat less frequent.

1. Eden Prairie, Minn. (Pop. 64,000; Unemployment 5.1 percent)

One of a number of Minnesota cities within the top 100, Eden Prairie boasts rolling hills and access to numerous lakes. People love outdoor pastimes and schools rate highly on the quality scale. Unemployment is far below the national average and Eden Prairie’s AAA rating with Moody’s indicates the city’s overall financial health. With multiple major employers in town, it’s no wonder that Eden Prairie has up to 50,000 jobs in town.

2. Columbia/Ellicott City, Md. (Pop. 155,000; 5.2 percent)

Ellicott City boasts a highly diverse populace, commendable educational facilities and homes that individuals can afford in and out of the bustling downtown center. Military and government employment through Fort Meade and the National Security Agency presently provide the area with 8,000 jobs, and government has promised thousands more within the very near future. Baltimore and Washington D.C. are within reasonable commuting distance, which adds to the employment possibilities.

3. Newton, Mass. (Pop. 82,000; 6.0 percent)

Newton benefits greatly from the presence of Boston College and Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and also the Greater Boston area public transport system makes for a mobile populace. On the charm side, Newton consists of a series of villages that display the New England charm for which the area is known.

4. Bellevue, Wash. (Pop. 124,000; 5.8 percent)

Bellevue is a tech mecca, thanks to the presence of Microsoft, T-Mobile, Verizon and Expedia, among others. Lake Washington and the surrounding forest make Bellevue a fantastic place for nature activities, but there’s a hotbed of culture there as well. While housing is far from cheap, anything else about Bellevue makes it a cinch for the Money Magazine “Best Places to Live” list.

5. McKinney, Texas (Pop. 125,000; 7.8 percent)

A downtown area filled with lovingly restored 19th century buildings pops out when one visits McKinney.And with employers like defense contractor Raytheon in town providing jobs, the need to drive an hour to Dallas for work is far from inevitable, even during the recession. Add lots of parks and hiking trails, and also you have a very nice place to live.

Citations

CNN

money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/top100/