2008 BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
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.
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.
The slide show begins with the navigation bar to the right. For a full explanation of our criteria click here.
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 1: Houston, Texas
Population: 5,542,048Population 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: $50,250Income Growth Since 2000: 13.1%
Take Our Tour of HoustonMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 2: Raleigh, N.C.
Population: 995,662Population Growth Since 2000: 19.9%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.1%Cost-of-Living Index: 99 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $56,150Income Growth Since 2000: 10.3%
Take Our Tour of RaleighMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 3: Omaha, Neb.
Population: 821,356Population Growth Since 2000: 6.6%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 30%Cost-of-Living Index: 89.4 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $51,627Income Growth Since 2000: 15.1%
Take Our Tour of OmahaMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 4: Boise, Idaho
Population: 568,086Population Growth Since 2000: 18.2%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 33.2%Cost-of-Living Index: 95.5 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $49,833Income Growth Since 2000: 16.6%
Take Our Tour of BoiseMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 5: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Population: 600,444Population Growth Since 2000: 10.5%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 34.1%Cost-of-Living Index: 95.3 (100 being national average)Median Household Income Since 2000: 53,486Income Growth Since 2000: 16.1%
Take Our Tour of Colorado SpringsMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 6: Austin, Texas
Population: 1,506,425Population Growth Since 2000: 17%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.5%Cost-of-Living Index: 92.8 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $52,882Income Growth Since 2000: 12.2%
Take Our Tour of AustinMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 7: Fayetteville, Ark.
Population: 419,455Population Growth Since 2000: 17.3%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 31.4%Cost-of-Living Index: 90.4 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $42,267Income Growth Since 2000: 17.6%
Take Our Tour of FayettevilleMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 8: Sacramento, Calif.
Population: 2,067,117Population Growth Since 2000: 13.1%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 34%Cost-of-Living Index: 121.7 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $56,953Income Growth Since 2000: 19.1%
BEST CITIES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
No. 9: Des Moines, Iowa
Population: 532,425Population Growth Since 2000: 9.6%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32.1%Cost-of-Living Index: 90.6 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $53,384Income Growth Since 2000: 16.3%
No. 10: Provo, Utah
Population: 474,351Population Growth Since 2000: 20.6%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32%Cost-of-Living Index: 97.7 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $50,583Income Growth Since 2000: 12.2%
Take Our Tour of ProvoMore on This CityWhich City Is Best for You?See How Your City Ranks
