http://www.bestplaces.net/
or find "Cities Ranked and Rated" at your local bookstore."
Comment: Go to the MSN page to find the cities ranked 2 - 9 on the list. I didn't want to give them all away. Take a guess as to which cities measure up, and which areas of the country are most represented. They have what they consider objective criteria. Do you think they nail some, and miss others? What would be YOUR top ten picks? (Personal note: Something is wrong. Not a single Texas city made their list of top ten! Have not yet gone to the 331 ranked cities to see where the first Texas city shows up and which one it is...)
Here is an actual link to the site, Sperling's Best Places, for the rankings of 331 metropolitan areas...
http://www.bestplaces.net/
Atlanta?!!!
Pffft.
Charlottesville sucks. Don't move here -- you'd hate it:)
Golly, I can't believe that Santa Fe, NM is #2.... Or even #100.
You couldn't pay me to live there again.... Heck, even Madrid and Cerrillos have lost their charm due to all the yuppies, "artistes", hippies and other assorted leftists that have been flocking there in droves for the last 25 years. (Same thing with Taos.)
bookmark bump
#1 place to live: Oildale, Ca
They are evidently referring to economic diversity. Asheville ain't what it used to be since the rainbow people discovered it.
Ping!!
Anyone know anything about Dubuque, IA?
Colorado Springs is ranked 18th. I live in the Springs. Great place to call home. At #20 is Pueblo. I would never call Pueblo the 20th best place to live in America. Never! I also find the #7 ranking of Atlanta to be an outrage.
Who owns Sperlings? George Soros!
NYC, baby. N-Y-C.
ROFL!!!! Does anyone realize that all of the "best places to live" are cities? Now, don't get me wrong, I am THANKFUL for lists such as this. It keeps the city folks where they belong, in the city. I'd sure like to know what criteria Sperling uses in deciding which is the "best place. I highly doubt Sperling's criteria would match mine. As for me, I live in one of the truly best places, but I'm not going to say where. I don't want anyone moving into my neck-of-the-woods. LOL
-PJ
Thunderstorms and humid.......wet and rainy.
wow - I can't believe our luck with the top ones. We lived near Charlottesville for 6 years, our daughter goes to college in San Luis Obispo, and we live near Honolulu. I can't disagree with those picks at least.
The best place to live is whereever you're happy.
Best places to live...
IMHO, you find a town, not a city...with less than 40,000 population and 9 times out of ten, you will be a lot happier there than in a "big city."
I recently moved from Olympia, Washington (large population) to Aberdeen, Washington (25,000 pop)...
Interesting observation...not a Starbucks in site for miles but there are churches on just about every corner.
God I love my houses.
3. San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, CA
This quiet group of towns on the central California coast could easily qualify as paradise. The climate is among the country's most pleasant, with 285 mostly sunny days per year and temperatures rarely above 90 degrees or below freezing. The presence of academic heavyweight Cal Poly helps anchor the local economy—the unemployment rate is well below the national average. It's fortunate that local jobs are plentiful, since it's too far to commute to Los Angeles or the Bay Area.
Considering further its low crime and unemployment rates, the San Luis Obispo area seems to have it all. But home prices here have risen steadily in the last few years, so that the median is now $536,300. While this isn't unreasonable by California standards, it can be out of reach for many of us thinking of moving from other parts of the country.
4. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA
A few miles north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara has long been a #1 relocation choice for those who can afford it. This area is famous for lavish estates that carry a price tag in the millions of dollars. Indeed, the median home price for the county is $590,000, while the median in the city itself is over $1.2 million.
No matter how appealing, the Santa Barbara area's cost of living and home prices will prove prohibitive for many Americans. In addition, recent job growth has dipped lately, so it might not be the best place to look for a new job. Nevertheless, for those that are retired or financially secure, the Santa Barbara area remains one of unmatched beauty and comfort.
Is Burt Sperling related to Sy Sperling ???...as in hair club for men???...Is "Hair Piece City" in Florida one of them?
Hold the phone....If you want a REALLY great place...just drive through Panorama City in the San Fernando Valley...It will make you wish the border with Mexico was 40 feet tall with razor wire....I saw Mexican license plates all over the place........!