See if your city made the list lol.
Best Places to Live
by Kate Ashford, Asa Fitch, Stephen Gandel, Josh Hyatt, Sarah Max, Jennifer Merritt
Monday, July 16, 2007provided byMoneyonCNNMoney.com
Some towns have everything any family could want
When you're young, the big city is a great place to be. There comes a point, though, when you're ready to trade night life for shade trees, sushi for pizza and roommates for children.
It's time to find the place where you'll spend the better part of your adult life -- raising your kids, climbing the career ladder and building your family's future. For most folks who have the option, that means a place that's smaller, safer and greener.
Best Places to Live 2007
• Most Affordable Towns
• Where We'll Live in the Future
• Great Then, Great Now: 20 Years of Best Places More Real Estate Stories
Real Estate How-to Guides
Real Estate Calculators
But there's a big difference between a gated McMansion subdivision and a town where you can put down roots and participate in a community that has a broader list of concerns than the height of the hedges. The latter are the kinds of places MONEY looks for in naming America's Best Places to Live.
This year we focused on smaller places, between 7,500 and 50,000 in population, that offered the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community.
We made a few tweaks to our methodology adding a ranking for ethnic and racial diversity and -- with the cost of housing an issue for so many families - paying extra attention to home prices and property taxes. That meant a few expensive locales that have been on past lists slid in the rankings, while some more affordable places moved up. And the winner is...
1. Middleton, Wis.
Population: 17,400
Typical single-family home: $325,000
Estimated property taxes: $6,200
Pros: Small-town charm; booming economy; extensive parks and bike trails
Cons: Do you like winter?
Troy and Sally Mayne liked Madison just fine, but they were looking for something more -- a tight-knit community where their two children could play with friends, go to school and bike to their heart's content. They found what they wanted seven miles away, in Middleton, this year's No. 1 spot. The Maynes bought a home in Middleton Hills, a nationally recognized "new urban" development with large swaths of open space and close proximity to the 520-acre Pheasant Branch conservancy.
Five years on, they feel they have the best of both worlds. They benefit from the economic and cultural advantages that come with Madison's status as home to the University of Wisconsin and as state capital. But the pace of life in Middleton is a little slower, the people friendlier. "In Madison you weren't tied in with the fabric of your community," says Troy, 43, a real estate attorney. "It's just the opposite here."
Many Middletonians, like the Maynes, commute to Madison, where Sally is a government lawyer. But Middleton proper has a strong pool of jobs too, mainly in the pharmaceutical, tech and medical industries. Dollmaker American girl is one of the town's largest commute to Middleton than residents leave for Madison.
After business hours Middleton has more going on than you might expect for a town of 17,000. The beer garden at the Capital Brewery is host to corporate mixers, and there are good restaurants downtown. But make no mistake: family life is what Middleton is about. In the summer you'll see parents and kids plying the bike trails of the conservancy, splashing in the town's waterslide-equipped pool or sailing on Lake Mendota.
On the downside, winter is tough, and there's not great ethnic diversity. But for Bronx natives Mary and Carmelo Saez, who settled here in 2005 after a long search for a safer community with better schools than they could find close to home, the positives easily outweigh the negatives. First, there's bang for the buck. "There are houses here that you can afford comfortably," says Mary, 35, who works in the district office of the elementary school her girls attend.
Second, there's a sense of tranquility they've longed for. "Out here it's more relaxed," says Carmelo, 37, who teaches adult education in Madison. "People are really comfortable around one another."
2. Hanover, N.H.
Best of the East
Population: 8,500
Typical single-family home: $385,000
Estimated property taxes: $6,000
Pros: Rich cultural and community opportunities; diversity
Cons: Winter isn't for wimps.
Don't be fooled by Hanover's mountain setting or its quiet charms. This isn't your typical New England college town: It's more an international city than a pastoral hideaway. About 20% of residents are nonwhite, and more than two dozen nationalities are represented.
That's partly what led Aharon Boghosian, 50, who left in 1981, to return with his wife and two kids to take over the family business. "We have friendships with people from all over the world and all different cultures," says Boghosian, who runs Gilberte Interiors, the company his Armenian mother started in 1967. Daughter Rachel's classmates hail from as far away as Ghana and Japan.
The world-class teaching hospital Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (just a stone's throw away in Lebanon), a smattering of environmental engineering and mid-size technology firms and, of course, Dartmouth itself all attract the cosmopolitan crowd. Add a downtown dotted with locally owned shops and restaurants and a fully stocked grocery cooperative, throw in a myriad of year-round activities sponsored by the college or the town, and it's easy to see why people love it here.
Being outdoors is simply a way of life in Hanover, says Jan Sayles, who arrived here two years ago with her husband Rick and their two kids, seeking refuge from the New Jersey suburbs. Jan, 42, now often walks a wooded and winding path along the Connecticut River near her home. Rick, an accountant and financial analyst, has joined a growing number of new arrivals who telecommute. "There's a real sense of community spirit and unbelievable cultural opportunities here," says Jan.
Hanover has drawbacks, certainly: It's out of the way -- two hours from Boston and 90 minutes from Manchester, N.H. -- and while you can get a four-bedroom house for less than $400,000, homes close to town can be pricey. The pressures of gentrification have reached the point that the town is developing moderate-income housing. And if you can't stand winter, you won't like Hanover. But if you're the adventurous sort, the skiing and skating are great.
3. Louisville, Colo.
Best of the West
Population: 19,500
Typical single-family home: $310,000
Estimated property taxes: $2,100
Pros: Historic downtown; hiking and skiing
Cons: Tech-heavy economy
When Jill Connell and her husband Brian Lutz relocated here from nearby Longmont last year with their two children, pies arrived on move-in day and the neighbors threw them a welcoming party. "It's like living in the 1950s," says Connell, 36. Or even earlier. Louisville was founded in 1882 by immigrant coal miners, and the old wooden buildings downtown still give the place the feel of a small frontier town.
Louisville's economy, though, is decidedly 21st century: Technology firms are the area's mainstay. Louisville suffered two years ago when StorageTek, once the town's largest employer, was bought by Sun Microsystems. Headquarters were moved to a neighboring town, and 500 jobs were cut. But other employers have moved into the city's 240-acre business park, and Louisville is only six miles from Boulder, 25 from Denver. And the health-care and biotechnology sectors have added jobs and diversity to the area's economy in the past five years, says Brian Lewandowski, a researcher at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Since this is northern Colorado, the outdoor life is spectacular. Locals hike and climb in Rocky Mountain National Park, about 45 minutes away, and Colorado's famed ski resorts are reachable in less than three hours. Louisville's own 26-mile wooded biking and running path winds through much of town, in between homes and through backyards.
On summer Friday nights, residents head downtown to the fairgrounds for concerts, craft booths and food. "Louisville feels cohesive," says Alison Sarinopoulos, a mother of two who has lived here for six years. "It is more than just a place with a bunch of houses."
Speaking of which, home prices are up recently -- to more than $300,000 for the average single-family residence. But an old farmhouse near downtown can be had for less than $200,000, and condos can be found for similar prices. What you won't find are the private, gated developments typical of other prosperous small cities. "A gate," says local real estate agent Kelly Moye, "would be too pretentious for Louisville."
4. Lake Mary, Fla.
Best of the South
Population: 13,200
Typical single-family home: $325,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,200
Pros: Big-economy jobs, small-town feel, no income tax
Cons: Florida summers, Florida hurricanes
Charlotte Smith-Wilkes used to commute an hour and 20 minutes to work each way when she lived in Miami. Now that the insurance executive lives in Lake Mary, the trip takes her four minutes flat. "We were looking for a calmer place to live, a place to raise children," says Smith-Wilkes, 48. She and her husband arrived 10 years ago and now have two daughters. "You get really spoiled," she says, "because everything is so close."
Less than a decade ago, "everything" might have referred to Orlando or Disney World, which are 30 minutes away, or to Daytona Beach, reachable in 45. But growth has brought Lake Mary residents plenty of shopping, restaurants and events in their own backyard. There are lakes for boating and fishing, and the Timacuan Golf Course lies in the center of town. The downtown is a work in progress, but plans are moving ahead to create multiuse plazas that incorporate retail, office and residential space.
Recreation is one thing, but jobs keep Lake Mary humming. On weekdays the population rockets from less than 14,000 to more than 35,000 as commuters arrive. AAA and Ruth's Chris Steak House keep their headquarters here, while others, like the Hartford and AT&T, maintain a large presence in the area's office parks.
All of the development has pushed housing prices higher, but a four-bedroom, three-bath house can still be had for $300,000. Of course, there's always the weather to worry about. In 2004 the town spent more than $2 million cleaning up after hurricanes. Three years later, though, the streets are once again lined with palms and flowering crape myrtles, and residents are more than willing to risk a storm for the town's amenities. "We're away from the tourists, we're close to the beach, and there are really good schools," says Tracy Paone, 39, a stay-at-home mom who lives here with her husband and two children. "To me, it's just right."
5. Claremont, Calif.
Population: 35,900
Typical single-family home: $700,000
Estimated property taxes: $7,800
Pros: Tight-knit community with topnotch schools
Cons: Poor air quality, high home prices
A lot of Southern California suburbs are defined by trendy retail chains and cookie-cutter developments. Claremont is defined by a rich history, spectacularly tall trees and a mix of Victorian and Spanish colonial architecture. Thirty miles east of Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, the city came into its own in the early 20th century after the founding of Pomona college. Streets were named after prestigious east coast schools, and residents were encouraged to plant trees.
Today, Claremont is called the city of trees and Ph.D.s. That's no exaggeration. The city has won the National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA award for 19 straight years, and Pomona College is part of a prestigious seven-school consortium known as the Claremont Colleges. The downtown, or "the village," is a mix of hip boutiques and old school businesses. And the historic College Heights Lemon Packing House is now home to the Claremont Art Museum, restaurants, a jazz bar and artists' lofts. "There is no other place like this in Southern California," says Jason Annigian, 32, an attorney who moved from Newport Beach with his wife Katharine, 28, in October. "It has a small-town feel, but it's also artsy and eclectic."
And relative to much of California, it's affordable (emphasis on "relative"). The Annigians, who are expecting their first child in August, sold their Newport Beach condo for more than they paid for their 2,200-squarefoot home near The Village.
With 3,000 employees, the colleges are the largest local employers. Ties to academe have rubbed off on Claremont's primary schools, which are among the state's best. "I don't know of a better place to bring up kids," says Jeff Stark, 45, a financial adviser who was raised here and moved back after college.
As for the grown-ups, "in the winter you can surf in the morning," says Stark, "and ski in the afternoon."
6. Papillion, Neb.
Population: 18,800
Typical single-family home: $250,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,100
Pros: Outdoor recreation, growing local economy
Cons: Lack of arts and culture
Fred Juhl always wanted to live in a small town like the one in northwestern Iowa where he grew up. When he and his wife Terrie decided in the early '90s that it was time to leave Omaha, where Fred was a systems analyst with insurer Mutual of Omaha, they started looking for a suburban enclave with the kind of community feel that Fred desired. They found it in Papillion, then a town of 10,000 about 12 miles from downtown.
In the 15 years since, the Juhls have raised two sons, and Papillion has grown and prospered along with Omaha, an increasingly important center of finance and insurance. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and TD Ameritrade, among others, are based there. In Papillion itself, home-security powerhouse ADT and InfoUSA, a collector and vendor of personal and business information, have major operations.
Papillion's population has nearly doubled since the Juhls moved in, but much of what attracted them remains -- low crime, good schools and a vast expanse of parkland. Parks take up almost 30% of the town and include a network of bike trails that connects to Omaha's 120-mile system. Recently, Papillion has spent more than half a million dollars renovating the historic downtown, putting in new sidewalks, faux-antique street lighting and ironwork accents. "It was a very small town and a well-kept secret when we came," says Terrie Juhl. "But it had room to grow, and the town has managed the growth well."
That will continue to be a challenge. Permits were issued for more than 300 new homes last year, but town leaders insist that they won't let the tide of development turn Papillion into a sea of subdivisions and strip malls. "We're one of the fastest-growing communities in the state," says Mayor James Blinn, "so it's imperative that we don't fall asleep at the wheel."
7. Milton, Mass.
Population: 25,700
Typical single-family home: $440,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,900
Pros: Close to Boston; borders conservation land
Cons: Traffic, little commercial activity
A former actress who appeared on Seinfeld, Carissa Steefel has traded in her Hollywood dreams to raise a family in Milton. "We're not going anywhere," she says. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just eight miles south of the heart of Boston, Milton borders the Blue Hills Reservation, a 7,000-acre park with hiking, swimming and skiing. "It's almost rural, but you have easy access to the city," says Jonathan Pincus, a physician and father who works in Boston.
Indeed, proximity to the city is what brings -- and keeps -- Milton residents where they are. Its loyal citizens do age, but even then they don't move. Fuller Village, a senior-housing development, is the town's single biggest taxpayer. In part that's because there are few businesses contributing to the tax base. East Milton Square is the town's Main Street, with coffee shops, a pizza place and a small grocery store. What's missing, most agree, is a destination eatery. "Everybody wants a restaurant but not in their backyard," says Kathleen Kechejian, a mother of two who last year opened Glory Daze, a consignment boutique. During the summer the big gathering place is the city swimming pool, built by a local family and open to any resident who pays the $75 annual dues.
Milton boasts a diverse population, with minorities making up 30%. And its schools, which rank among the state's top 20, offer an unusual French-immersion option. All six schools have recently been rebuilt, and the library is now expanding. Such projects require voters to approve special tax assessments. But "those decisions reflect what's important to the residents," says Inger Kwaku, a mother of four. "That's why I love it here."
8. Chaska, Minn.
Population: 22,500
Typical single-family home: $275,000
Estimated property taxes: $3,100
Pros: Quality jobs, a beautiful setting
Cons: Winter; highway expansion will spur growth
Chaska has beauty. It's one of the more rural towns on our list, and its small 19th-century downtown quickly yields to open fields, farmland and the Minnesota river. And it has brains too. More than a dozen technology and biotech firms are based in 600 acres of corporate office parks near Chaska's northern border, and the city, 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis, was the first in the country to offer low-cost wi-fi access to residents.
It's no wonder the town is a magnet for families, who can find reasonably priced homes, low taxes and quality schools. Chaska's population has nearly doubled to almost 23,000 since 1990. So far that growth hasn't detracted from its small-town charm. Summer band concerts still take place every Friday night in the city Square Park gazebo, as they have for more than 100 years. Shops, restaurants and businesses line the main street, where almost all of the buildings are constructed with yellowish bricks made from Chaska clay. Downtown stops at the river, where a trail system extends in both directions and connects to the more than 40 miles of pathways that wind through the community. "We love all the open space," says Sid Kudige, 29, a software developer who moved to Chaska with his wife Navya, 27, three years ago to buy their first home.
With no highway direct to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chaska is a bit isolated from Twin City sprawl. That's about to change. A highway expansion next summer will turn the town's main artery to the Twin Cities from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided highway. Travel time to Minneapolis will be cut in half, to 30 minutes. The downside: Chaska officials expect the town's population to increase 50% in 15 years. "It's a growing community, but it still has the same feel from when I grew up," says John Born, 36, a middle school teacher who has stayed to raise his family here. "The challenge will be keeping it that way."
9. Nether Providence (Wallingford), Pa.
Population: 13,600
Typical single-family home: $350,000
Estimated property taxes: $7,000
Pros: Affordable homes, top-rated schools
Cons: No real downtown
Spend a little time in Nether Providence, a.k.a. Wallingford (its largest community), and you'll find yourself forgetting that Philadelphia is 20 minutes away by car or commuter train. A 4.6-square-mile township of lush green hills, old stone houses and expansive parks, Nether Providence also offers good schools, and a nice home can be had for $300,000 or even less.
That combination of attributes drove Marni Baker Stein and her husband Stuart to relocate from a farther-out suburb with their three daughters in May. "We moved from a three bedroom house to a five-bedroom house, and it was actually something we could afford; we got a lot more for our money," says Baker Stein, director of the College of General Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Plus, she says, "There's a real mix of people here and a lot of community involvement."
It's not hard to stay active in a town that has nine parks, including the 30-acre Taylor Memorial Arboretum and a 17-acre tract behind the 19th-century Wallingford train station, which is still housed in an old red clapboard building. Many evenings, commuters arriving from Philadelphia leave the station and walk to a town-sponsored event at a local park or a festival at a nearby church.
Another hot spot: the Community Arts Center. Built in 1889, the three-story stone structure has art classes, exhibitions and working venues for professionals. A fully equipped pottery studio is on the grounds. Nether Providence doesn't have its own downtown, but most residents can walk or bike to Media, where there's a movie theater and plenty of locally owned shops and restaurants.
If the Philly economy were growing more briskly, Nether Providence would rank even higher. About 30% of the town's workers commute into the city. Others head to jobs at nearby medical centers, Boeing's 4,000-employee campus in neighboring Ridley Park or legal and government posts in Media, the county seat.
10. Suwanee, Ga.
Population: 11,200
Typical single-family home: $250,000
Estimated property taxes: $3,800
Pros: Green space, affordable housing
Cons: Traffic, I-85 interchange
Six years ago the residents of Suwanee voted to more than double their property taxes. The payoff: a boost from 28 acres of green space to more than 270, and a feeling of investment in their hometown. "People here participate in the community in a very thorough way," says resident Dave Williams, 40, a partner in a marketing company and father of two. "They don't just live here and work or play somewhere else."
That's abundantly clear at the newly developed town center. Built on a heavily trafficked downtown corner, it meshes park space, retail and office properties and housing into one multiuse plaza -- and residents have embraced it in a big way. On summer afternoons kids of all ages splash in the park's interactive fountains. On weekends Town Center Park's outdoor amphitheater holds concerts and other events. Behind the appealing row of restaurants and shops are townhouses and single-family homes. Housing is reasonable -- you can get into a nice four-bedroom for $250,000 -- and schools are topnotch.
As for jobs, Dish Network and Southeastern Freight are the area's biggest employers, but Google, Hewlett-Packard and other tech concerns also have offices nearby. Surrounding Gwinnett County and Atlanta (30 miles away) provide even more opportunities. Suwanee offers a tax break to companies that bring in more than 25 high-paying jobs.
Though the town has planned recent development deliberately, the area around interstate 85, which runs through Suwanee's southeastern corner, lacks for aesthetics but not for congestion. Still, the rest of the city has a lot to offer.
"We're blanketed with parks to use," says Brenda Everson, a mother of three boys. "We're very nature-y. Instead of going to a movie, we'd rather be out hiking or playing ball. It's nice to have those options."
by Kate Ashford, Asa Fitch, Stephen Gandel, Josh Hyatt, Sarah Max, Jennifer Merritt
Monday, July 16, 2007provided byMoneyonCNNMoney.com
Some towns have everything any family could want
When you're young, the big city is a great place to be. There comes a point, though, when you're ready to trade night life for shade trees, sushi for pizza and roommates for children.
It's time to find the place where you'll spend the better part of your adult life -- raising your kids, climbing the career ladder and building your family's future. For most folks who have the option, that means a place that's smaller, safer and greener.
Best Places to Live 2007
• Most Affordable Towns
• Where We'll Live in the Future
• Great Then, Great Now: 20 Years of Best Places More Real Estate Stories
Real Estate How-to Guides
Real Estate Calculators
But there's a big difference between a gated McMansion subdivision and a town where you can put down roots and participate in a community that has a broader list of concerns than the height of the hedges. The latter are the kinds of places MONEY looks for in naming America's Best Places to Live.
This year we focused on smaller places, between 7,500 and 50,000 in population, that offered the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community.
We made a few tweaks to our methodology adding a ranking for ethnic and racial diversity and -- with the cost of housing an issue for so many families - paying extra attention to home prices and property taxes. That meant a few expensive locales that have been on past lists slid in the rankings, while some more affordable places moved up. And the winner is...
1. Middleton, Wis.
Population: 17,400
Typical single-family home: $325,000
Estimated property taxes: $6,200
Pros: Small-town charm; booming economy; extensive parks and bike trails
Cons: Do you like winter?
Troy and Sally Mayne liked Madison just fine, but they were looking for something more -- a tight-knit community where their two children could play with friends, go to school and bike to their heart's content. They found what they wanted seven miles away, in Middleton, this year's No. 1 spot. The Maynes bought a home in Middleton Hills, a nationally recognized "new urban" development with large swaths of open space and close proximity to the 520-acre Pheasant Branch conservancy.
Five years on, they feel they have the best of both worlds. They benefit from the economic and cultural advantages that come with Madison's status as home to the University of Wisconsin and as state capital. But the pace of life in Middleton is a little slower, the people friendlier. "In Madison you weren't tied in with the fabric of your community," says Troy, 43, a real estate attorney. "It's just the opposite here."
Many Middletonians, like the Maynes, commute to Madison, where Sally is a government lawyer. But Middleton proper has a strong pool of jobs too, mainly in the pharmaceutical, tech and medical industries. Dollmaker American girl is one of the town's largest commute to Middleton than residents leave for Madison.
After business hours Middleton has more going on than you might expect for a town of 17,000. The beer garden at the Capital Brewery is host to corporate mixers, and there are good restaurants downtown. But make no mistake: family life is what Middleton is about. In the summer you'll see parents and kids plying the bike trails of the conservancy, splashing in the town's waterslide-equipped pool or sailing on Lake Mendota.
On the downside, winter is tough, and there's not great ethnic diversity. But for Bronx natives Mary and Carmelo Saez, who settled here in 2005 after a long search for a safer community with better schools than they could find close to home, the positives easily outweigh the negatives. First, there's bang for the buck. "There are houses here that you can afford comfortably," says Mary, 35, who works in the district office of the elementary school her girls attend.
Second, there's a sense of tranquility they've longed for. "Out here it's more relaxed," says Carmelo, 37, who teaches adult education in Madison. "People are really comfortable around one another."
2. Hanover, N.H.
Best of the East
Population: 8,500
Typical single-family home: $385,000
Estimated property taxes: $6,000
Pros: Rich cultural and community opportunities; diversity
Cons: Winter isn't for wimps.
Don't be fooled by Hanover's mountain setting or its quiet charms. This isn't your typical New England college town: It's more an international city than a pastoral hideaway. About 20% of residents are nonwhite, and more than two dozen nationalities are represented.
That's partly what led Aharon Boghosian, 50, who left in 1981, to return with his wife and two kids to take over the family business. "We have friendships with people from all over the world and all different cultures," says Boghosian, who runs Gilberte Interiors, the company his Armenian mother started in 1967. Daughter Rachel's classmates hail from as far away as Ghana and Japan.
The world-class teaching hospital Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (just a stone's throw away in Lebanon), a smattering of environmental engineering and mid-size technology firms and, of course, Dartmouth itself all attract the cosmopolitan crowd. Add a downtown dotted with locally owned shops and restaurants and a fully stocked grocery cooperative, throw in a myriad of year-round activities sponsored by the college or the town, and it's easy to see why people love it here.
Being outdoors is simply a way of life in Hanover, says Jan Sayles, who arrived here two years ago with her husband Rick and their two kids, seeking refuge from the New Jersey suburbs. Jan, 42, now often walks a wooded and winding path along the Connecticut River near her home. Rick, an accountant and financial analyst, has joined a growing number of new arrivals who telecommute. "There's a real sense of community spirit and unbelievable cultural opportunities here," says Jan.
Hanover has drawbacks, certainly: It's out of the way -- two hours from Boston and 90 minutes from Manchester, N.H. -- and while you can get a four-bedroom house for less than $400,000, homes close to town can be pricey. The pressures of gentrification have reached the point that the town is developing moderate-income housing. And if you can't stand winter, you won't like Hanover. But if you're the adventurous sort, the skiing and skating are great.
3. Louisville, Colo.
Best of the West
Population: 19,500
Typical single-family home: $310,000
Estimated property taxes: $2,100
Pros: Historic downtown; hiking and skiing
Cons: Tech-heavy economy
When Jill Connell and her husband Brian Lutz relocated here from nearby Longmont last year with their two children, pies arrived on move-in day and the neighbors threw them a welcoming party. "It's like living in the 1950s," says Connell, 36. Or even earlier. Louisville was founded in 1882 by immigrant coal miners, and the old wooden buildings downtown still give the place the feel of a small frontier town.
Louisville's economy, though, is decidedly 21st century: Technology firms are the area's mainstay. Louisville suffered two years ago when StorageTek, once the town's largest employer, was bought by Sun Microsystems. Headquarters were moved to a neighboring town, and 500 jobs were cut. But other employers have moved into the city's 240-acre business park, and Louisville is only six miles from Boulder, 25 from Denver. And the health-care and biotechnology sectors have added jobs and diversity to the area's economy in the past five years, says Brian Lewandowski, a researcher at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Since this is northern Colorado, the outdoor life is spectacular. Locals hike and climb in Rocky Mountain National Park, about 45 minutes away, and Colorado's famed ski resorts are reachable in less than three hours. Louisville's own 26-mile wooded biking and running path winds through much of town, in between homes and through backyards.
On summer Friday nights, residents head downtown to the fairgrounds for concerts, craft booths and food. "Louisville feels cohesive," says Alison Sarinopoulos, a mother of two who has lived here for six years. "It is more than just a place with a bunch of houses."
Speaking of which, home prices are up recently -- to more than $300,000 for the average single-family residence. But an old farmhouse near downtown can be had for less than $200,000, and condos can be found for similar prices. What you won't find are the private, gated developments typical of other prosperous small cities. "A gate," says local real estate agent Kelly Moye, "would be too pretentious for Louisville."
4. Lake Mary, Fla.
Best of the South
Population: 13,200
Typical single-family home: $325,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,200
Pros: Big-economy jobs, small-town feel, no income tax
Cons: Florida summers, Florida hurricanes
Charlotte Smith-Wilkes used to commute an hour and 20 minutes to work each way when she lived in Miami. Now that the insurance executive lives in Lake Mary, the trip takes her four minutes flat. "We were looking for a calmer place to live, a place to raise children," says Smith-Wilkes, 48. She and her husband arrived 10 years ago and now have two daughters. "You get really spoiled," she says, "because everything is so close."
Less than a decade ago, "everything" might have referred to Orlando or Disney World, which are 30 minutes away, or to Daytona Beach, reachable in 45. But growth has brought Lake Mary residents plenty of shopping, restaurants and events in their own backyard. There are lakes for boating and fishing, and the Timacuan Golf Course lies in the center of town. The downtown is a work in progress, but plans are moving ahead to create multiuse plazas that incorporate retail, office and residential space.
Recreation is one thing, but jobs keep Lake Mary humming. On weekdays the population rockets from less than 14,000 to more than 35,000 as commuters arrive. AAA and Ruth's Chris Steak House keep their headquarters here, while others, like the Hartford and AT&T, maintain a large presence in the area's office parks.
All of the development has pushed housing prices higher, but a four-bedroom, three-bath house can still be had for $300,000. Of course, there's always the weather to worry about. In 2004 the town spent more than $2 million cleaning up after hurricanes. Three years later, though, the streets are once again lined with palms and flowering crape myrtles, and residents are more than willing to risk a storm for the town's amenities. "We're away from the tourists, we're close to the beach, and there are really good schools," says Tracy Paone, 39, a stay-at-home mom who lives here with her husband and two children. "To me, it's just right."
5. Claremont, Calif.
Population: 35,900
Typical single-family home: $700,000
Estimated property taxes: $7,800
Pros: Tight-knit community with topnotch schools
Cons: Poor air quality, high home prices
A lot of Southern California suburbs are defined by trendy retail chains and cookie-cutter developments. Claremont is defined by a rich history, spectacularly tall trees and a mix of Victorian and Spanish colonial architecture. Thirty miles east of Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, the city came into its own in the early 20th century after the founding of Pomona college. Streets were named after prestigious east coast schools, and residents were encouraged to plant trees.
Today, Claremont is called the city of trees and Ph.D.s. That's no exaggeration. The city has won the National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA award for 19 straight years, and Pomona College is part of a prestigious seven-school consortium known as the Claremont Colleges. The downtown, or "the village," is a mix of hip boutiques and old school businesses. And the historic College Heights Lemon Packing House is now home to the Claremont Art Museum, restaurants, a jazz bar and artists' lofts. "There is no other place like this in Southern California," says Jason Annigian, 32, an attorney who moved from Newport Beach with his wife Katharine, 28, in October. "It has a small-town feel, but it's also artsy and eclectic."
And relative to much of California, it's affordable (emphasis on "relative"). The Annigians, who are expecting their first child in August, sold their Newport Beach condo for more than they paid for their 2,200-squarefoot home near The Village.
With 3,000 employees, the colleges are the largest local employers. Ties to academe have rubbed off on Claremont's primary schools, which are among the state's best. "I don't know of a better place to bring up kids," says Jeff Stark, 45, a financial adviser who was raised here and moved back after college.
As for the grown-ups, "in the winter you can surf in the morning," says Stark, "and ski in the afternoon."
6. Papillion, Neb.
Population: 18,800
Typical single-family home: $250,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,100
Pros: Outdoor recreation, growing local economy
Cons: Lack of arts and culture
Fred Juhl always wanted to live in a small town like the one in northwestern Iowa where he grew up. When he and his wife Terrie decided in the early '90s that it was time to leave Omaha, where Fred was a systems analyst with insurer Mutual of Omaha, they started looking for a suburban enclave with the kind of community feel that Fred desired. They found it in Papillion, then a town of 10,000 about 12 miles from downtown.
In the 15 years since, the Juhls have raised two sons, and Papillion has grown and prospered along with Omaha, an increasingly important center of finance and insurance. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and TD Ameritrade, among others, are based there. In Papillion itself, home-security powerhouse ADT and InfoUSA, a collector and vendor of personal and business information, have major operations.
Papillion's population has nearly doubled since the Juhls moved in, but much of what attracted them remains -- low crime, good schools and a vast expanse of parkland. Parks take up almost 30% of the town and include a network of bike trails that connects to Omaha's 120-mile system. Recently, Papillion has spent more than half a million dollars renovating the historic downtown, putting in new sidewalks, faux-antique street lighting and ironwork accents. "It was a very small town and a well-kept secret when we came," says Terrie Juhl. "But it had room to grow, and the town has managed the growth well."
That will continue to be a challenge. Permits were issued for more than 300 new homes last year, but town leaders insist that they won't let the tide of development turn Papillion into a sea of subdivisions and strip malls. "We're one of the fastest-growing communities in the state," says Mayor James Blinn, "so it's imperative that we don't fall asleep at the wheel."
7. Milton, Mass.
Population: 25,700
Typical single-family home: $440,000
Estimated property taxes: $5,900
Pros: Close to Boston; borders conservation land
Cons: Traffic, little commercial activity
A former actress who appeared on Seinfeld, Carissa Steefel has traded in her Hollywood dreams to raise a family in Milton. "We're not going anywhere," she says. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just eight miles south of the heart of Boston, Milton borders the Blue Hills Reservation, a 7,000-acre park with hiking, swimming and skiing. "It's almost rural, but you have easy access to the city," says Jonathan Pincus, a physician and father who works in Boston.
Indeed, proximity to the city is what brings -- and keeps -- Milton residents where they are. Its loyal citizens do age, but even then they don't move. Fuller Village, a senior-housing development, is the town's single biggest taxpayer. In part that's because there are few businesses contributing to the tax base. East Milton Square is the town's Main Street, with coffee shops, a pizza place and a small grocery store. What's missing, most agree, is a destination eatery. "Everybody wants a restaurant but not in their backyard," says Kathleen Kechejian, a mother of two who last year opened Glory Daze, a consignment boutique. During the summer the big gathering place is the city swimming pool, built by a local family and open to any resident who pays the $75 annual dues.
Milton boasts a diverse population, with minorities making up 30%. And its schools, which rank among the state's top 20, offer an unusual French-immersion option. All six schools have recently been rebuilt, and the library is now expanding. Such projects require voters to approve special tax assessments. But "those decisions reflect what's important to the residents," says Inger Kwaku, a mother of four. "That's why I love it here."
8. Chaska, Minn.
Population: 22,500
Typical single-family home: $275,000
Estimated property taxes: $3,100
Pros: Quality jobs, a beautiful setting
Cons: Winter; highway expansion will spur growth
Chaska has beauty. It's one of the more rural towns on our list, and its small 19th-century downtown quickly yields to open fields, farmland and the Minnesota river. And it has brains too. More than a dozen technology and biotech firms are based in 600 acres of corporate office parks near Chaska's northern border, and the city, 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis, was the first in the country to offer low-cost wi-fi access to residents.
It's no wonder the town is a magnet for families, who can find reasonably priced homes, low taxes and quality schools. Chaska's population has nearly doubled to almost 23,000 since 1990. So far that growth hasn't detracted from its small-town charm. Summer band concerts still take place every Friday night in the city Square Park gazebo, as they have for more than 100 years. Shops, restaurants and businesses line the main street, where almost all of the buildings are constructed with yellowish bricks made from Chaska clay. Downtown stops at the river, where a trail system extends in both directions and connects to the more than 40 miles of pathways that wind through the community. "We love all the open space," says Sid Kudige, 29, a software developer who moved to Chaska with his wife Navya, 27, three years ago to buy their first home.
With no highway direct to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chaska is a bit isolated from Twin City sprawl. That's about to change. A highway expansion next summer will turn the town's main artery to the Twin Cities from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided highway. Travel time to Minneapolis will be cut in half, to 30 minutes. The downside: Chaska officials expect the town's population to increase 50% in 15 years. "It's a growing community, but it still has the same feel from when I grew up," says John Born, 36, a middle school teacher who has stayed to raise his family here. "The challenge will be keeping it that way."
9. Nether Providence (Wallingford), Pa.
Population: 13,600
Typical single-family home: $350,000
Estimated property taxes: $7,000
Pros: Affordable homes, top-rated schools
Cons: No real downtown
Spend a little time in Nether Providence, a.k.a. Wallingford (its largest community), and you'll find yourself forgetting that Philadelphia is 20 minutes away by car or commuter train. A 4.6-square-mile township of lush green hills, old stone houses and expansive parks, Nether Providence also offers good schools, and a nice home can be had for $300,000 or even less.
That combination of attributes drove Marni Baker Stein and her husband Stuart to relocate from a farther-out suburb with their three daughters in May. "We moved from a three bedroom house to a five-bedroom house, and it was actually something we could afford; we got a lot more for our money," says Baker Stein, director of the College of General Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Plus, she says, "There's a real mix of people here and a lot of community involvement."
It's not hard to stay active in a town that has nine parks, including the 30-acre Taylor Memorial Arboretum and a 17-acre tract behind the 19th-century Wallingford train station, which is still housed in an old red clapboard building. Many evenings, commuters arriving from Philadelphia leave the station and walk to a town-sponsored event at a local park or a festival at a nearby church.
Another hot spot: the Community Arts Center. Built in 1889, the three-story stone structure has art classes, exhibitions and working venues for professionals. A fully equipped pottery studio is on the grounds. Nether Providence doesn't have its own downtown, but most residents can walk or bike to Media, where there's a movie theater and plenty of locally owned shops and restaurants.
If the Philly economy were growing more briskly, Nether Providence would rank even higher. About 30% of the town's workers commute into the city. Others head to jobs at nearby medical centers, Boeing's 4,000-employee campus in neighboring Ridley Park or legal and government posts in Media, the county seat.
10. Suwanee, Ga.
Population: 11,200
Typical single-family home: $250,000
Estimated property taxes: $3,800
Pros: Green space, affordable housing
Cons: Traffic, I-85 interchange
Six years ago the residents of Suwanee voted to more than double their property taxes. The payoff: a boost from 28 acres of green space to more than 270, and a feeling of investment in their hometown. "People here participate in the community in a very thorough way," says resident Dave Williams, 40, a partner in a marketing company and father of two. "They don't just live here and work or play somewhere else."
That's abundantly clear at the newly developed town center. Built on a heavily trafficked downtown corner, it meshes park space, retail and office properties and housing into one multiuse plaza -- and residents have embraced it in a big way. On summer afternoons kids of all ages splash in the park's interactive fountains. On weekends Town Center Park's outdoor amphitheater holds concerts and other events. Behind the appealing row of restaurants and shops are townhouses and single-family homes. Housing is reasonable -- you can get into a nice four-bedroom for $250,000 -- and schools are topnotch.
As for jobs, Dish Network and Southeastern Freight are the area's biggest employers, but Google, Hewlett-Packard and other tech concerns also have offices nearby. Surrounding Gwinnett County and Atlanta (30 miles away) provide even more opportunities. Suwanee offers a tax break to companies that bring in more than 25 high-paying jobs.
Though the town has planned recent development deliberately, the area around interstate 85, which runs through Suwanee's southeastern corner, lacks for aesthetics but not for congestion. Still, the rest of the city has a lot to offer.
"We're blanketed with parks to use," says Brenda Everson, a mother of three boys. "We're very nature-y. Instead of going to a movie, we'd rather be out hiking or playing ball. It's nice to have those options."
