SAN FRANCISCO

BEST CITY FOR EMPTY-NESTERS

Population: 4,071,751
Cost-of-Living Index: 157 (100 being national average)
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36%
Bohemian Indicator: 165
Creative-Class Salary Growth (2000-2005): 16%

Yes, it's expensive, but the City by the Bay is suited to empty nesters for a number of financial reasons. If you don't have kids and are well along in your career, San Francisco just becomes more affordable. Salary growth is strong, and it has a large concentration of people in the creative class. Of course, it also happens to be one of the greatest places to live on the planet.

For a full explanation of our criteria click here.