In our search for the ten best cities in which to live and work, we sought places with strong economies and abundant jobs, plus reasonable living costs and plenty of fun things to do. When we ran the numbers, some of the places that popped up made us do a double take at first. But we think our formula highlights places destined for future success. Take a look at our rankings.

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For a full explanation of our criteria click here.

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2008 BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY

No. 1: Houston, Texas

Population: 5,542,048
Population Growth Since 2000: 14.9%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 31.3%
Cost-of-Living Index: 88.1 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $50,250
Income Growth Since 2000: 13.1%

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Which City Is Best for You?

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BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY