NEW STATS ON U.S CITIES

[Evangelion]

According to CNN Money

http://money.cnn.com/best/bplive/index.html

BEST PLACES TO LIVE
1: Moorestown, NJ
2. Bainbridge Isl., WA
3. Naperville, IL
4. Vienna, VA
5. Louisville, CO
6. Barrington, RI
7. Middleton, WI
8. Peachtree City, GA
9. Chatam, NJ
10. Mill Valley, CA

BIGGEST EARNERS
1. VA Great Falls $165,592
2. CT Darien $155,006
3. CT New Canaan $150,748
4. CT Wilton $148,718
5. MD Potomac $148,198
6. VA Fairfax Station $147,927
7. CA Saratoga $147,163
8. CA Alamo $144,894
9. CA Los Altos $144,402
10. IL Lake Forest $143,595

Median household income, 2004.
Source: OnBoard
Based only on data for more than 1,300 cities in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.

MOST "HIGHLY" EDUCATED
1. MD Chevy Chase 48%
2. MD Bethesda 47%
3. MA Brookline 45%
4. MD Potomac 45%
5. MA Newton Center 43%
6. NY Larchmont 42%
7. MA Lexington 42%
8. MA Cambridge 41%
9. VA Mc Lean 41%
10. NJ Princeton 41%

Percentage of residents who have a graduate degree.
Source: OnBoard
Based only on data for more than 1,300 cities in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.


FASTED JOB GROWTHS
1. CO Castle Rock 244.43%
2. CO Parker 244.43%
3. TX Boerne 157.91%
4. GA Cumming 157.70%
5. VA Ashburn 132.66%
6. VA Leesburg 132.66%
7. VA Sterling 132.66%
8. GA Mcdonough 130.12%
9. NV Henderson 107.82%
10. NV Las Vegas 107.82%

Percent increase in employed persons since 1990.
Source: OnBoard
Based only on data for more than 1,300 cities in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.


MOST SPENT ON EDUCATION

1. NY New York $11,952
2. VA Arlington $11,774
3. DC Washington $11,090
4. MD Bethesda $9,339
5. MD Chevy Chase $9,339
6. MD Derwood $9,339
7. MD Gaithersburg $9,339
8. MD Germantown $9,339
9. MD Kensington $9,339
10. MD Montgomery Village $9,339

Average dollars spent per student.
Source: OnBoard
Based only on data for more than 1,300 cities in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.

PRICIEST HOMES
1. CA Los Altos $1,348,121
2. CA Pacific Palisades $1,329,856
3. CA Beverly Hills $1,323,721
4. CA Manhattan Beach $1,304,431
5. CA Laguna Beach $1,229,484
6. CT Greenwich $1,223,523
7. CA Alamo $1,180,527
8. CA Burlingame $1,152,066
9. CA Palos Verdes Peninsula $1,151,058
10. CA Malibu $1,148,105

Median home sale price, 2004.
Source: OnBoard
Based only on data for more than 1,300 cities in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.




There some other lists like coldest/hottest climate, most golf courses, etc but I didnt include them since they dont really matter.
I put the Washington DC metro areas in bold because it shocked me how well the region is doing. I wonder why they never get any credit, from many of the sources i have read it seems to be a very wealthy/educated area, that is pretty stable.

[NovaWolverine]

It doesn't get credit b/c it's not represented well on a lot of these skyscraper forums and it's known to be an area full of sprawl and all of that, and seen as a boring, not cultural, sun-belt like and who knows what else. It's a real nice place to live, that's overlooked, it doesn't have any particular thing that makes ppl jaw drop that's another reason I think it's an area that's not talked about a whole lot. Eventhough there's not a ton of high rise construction, the area is doing very well and the stats speak for themselves. And it's not just b/c of the federal gov't getting bigger, the local economy is more diverse. Regardless, even though there are bad sides, I do think it's one of the best areas in the country.

Brookline, MA was highlighted when I read it and eventhough the DC spends a lot on schools, they're pretty bad even by large city standards.

[Furiine]

I would be shocked if the DC area were considered sterile and sprawled. Montgomery County, Marylnad is a model for smart growth, avoiding sprawl and having at least one incorporate area close by to keep it centralized and maintain services. Reston, VA and Columbia, MD also built around keeping sprawl at bay. The DC area is very diversified and full of activity. I would expect to hear the opposite only from those who had bad experiences or have never been.

[LtBk]

What makes those places so great to live anyways?

[hudkina]

Especially when one could buy the same house for a fraction of the price of one in California in any other area of the country.

[sfenn1117]

I can't believe NYC spends the most on children in the public school system! Wow! Unfortunately poorer neighborhoods don't get as much money. But I know by experience that in middle and upper class neighborhoods the schools are top notch. NYC doesn't get enough credit and too much is focused on the bad

[AZian]

Good for VA and MD, too bad DC itself doesn't enjoy those benefits. Further accelarates decentralization of cities when powerhouses of economy are located in suburbs.

[Expat]

Originally Posted by AZian

Good for VA and MD, too bad DC itself doesn't enjoy those benefits. Further accelarates decentralization of cities when powerhouses of economy are located in suburbs.

What do you mean that DC doesn't enjoy those benefits? DC is a powerhouse of wealth, education, and influence. It has an extremely strong core. And I can't believe that someone would say that the DC area is boring and sprawling. They obviously don't understand the DC area.

[PeterSmith]

I agree the DC area is anything but boring and sprawling. DC is very underrepresented on skyscraper forums - probably because it doesn't contain any skyscrapers. But nevertheless, it is far from boring and sprawling. I think you could very strongly make the argument that DC has the most cultural offerings of any place in the country or even the world - which would at least make it somewhat exciting, yes?

[StevenW]

nice stats.

[Battsman]

http://money.cnn.com/best/bplive/topten/coldest.html

Wow, that's quite depressing.

[UWMilwaukeeJay]

those numbers seem a little bit bias towards the east coast...

[EastSider]

I can't believe Middleton, WI is on there, I grew up ten minutes from there. For a suburb, it is very nice though.

[xzmattzx]

all the pro athletes on philly sports teams live in or near moorestown. t.o. recently put his house on landing court up for sale.

[ROCguy]

Just curious, why did you highlite all of the ones in VA, MD, and MA?

[NovaWolverine]

he said why at the end of his post.

[Xusein]

Connecticut is seriously losing ground to the Washington DC area. Five years ago, you could probably find a city in the state near the top of all those lists (except job growth). Now, it lost the biggest earners ranking to Virginia. What next?

[Nick in Atlanta]

Metro DC is booming, while metro New York is not, and many high-paid New Yorkers move to CT when they start squirting out kids.

[Xusein]

True, but the drop is amazing to me.

Connecticut better be careful. If they don't get more job growth, in a few years, Virginia and Maryland might challenge CT's claim to the richest state. At the time, New Jersey is the only challenger.

[findo102000]

Hah, Illinois sweeps the board in the golf catagory....