Best Places to Live 2005
 

http://money.cnn.com/best/bplive/?cnn=yes


I went to high school in Peachtree City, GA (#8). I've only been back a couple of times since, but it seems to be pretty much the way it was back then (although a little more - but not much - growth than we had 20 years ago). Kinda boring as a kid, but as an adult, I can appreciate it much more now.

I like the "coldest" places to live. The top ten are all in Minnesota...

Sweetness! Ohio made the most polluted list with 6 different cities. REPRESENT!

I see Lakeland is #2 on that most polluted list. What the hell happen to that town? I went to college there from 90-93 and have only gone back once for a Tigers ST game. I'd heard bad things about it recently, but didn't know it was that bad. I assume all of the phosphate plants have killed it...?

Alright. I shall say this slowly and carefully.

Naperville. Should. Not. Be. Number. Three.

Naperville. Should. Be. Burned. To. The. Ground.

Yeah, I still don't understand the Naperville thing.

Maybe Naperville is one of those rare instances where all of the numbers add up to a much better picture than reality suggests. Never been there, don't know. I'll just take your word for it.

That could be it. On paper, it's got everything you want. Jobs, lots of real estate, good schools, etc.... However, in reality it's basically suburban sprawl, writ large.

There's no way that Duluth is one of the Top 10 coldest cites - that's ridiculous. It's got a huge body of water right next to it

So does Antarctica.

It's the 1993 Miami Dolphins of cities. 21 former #1 picks, looked like SB champs on paper, but couldn't even make the playoffs. :D

Well I guess there are only 1300 cities in the database here. That explains a little. Still, Duluth winters are generally pretty mild compared to anything else is Minnesota or North Dakota.

Woo my hometown made the safest list!

Bainbridge Island, WA is beautiful. If you ever get a few days in Seattle, walk on the ferry, and spend an afternoon in Winslow (the main town on the island). My wife and I have spent many afternoons on the deck at the Harbour Public House enjoying the view of the harbor, trees and downtown Seattle. We've even considered moving there ourselves.

It's funny - 11 years ago when we moved here, that Public House was all by itself, surrounded by fields and single-family homes. Now they have built condos and an office building right next to it - the view from their deck is still the same though!

Isn't 9 out of 10 just suburbs of Minneapolis?

Yeah, their "other" top 10 lists are pretty worthless, honestly.

Case in point: Golf Course list: #1 Chicago, 2-10 are all suburbs within 30 miles of Chicago. Lame.

ding. we have a winner..

anything within 30miles of the western shores of lake michigan pretty much hit the golf corses.

Woohoo! I went to elementary school in the place with the most expensive homes! And I live right to two of the highest median income places! Now all I have to do is sit back and wait for osmosis to work it's magic.

Anyone else notice the most educated town is "Chevy Chase, MD". Ha!

This is a common factor with a lot of the top 100 cities. Sugar Land, TX is on that list and that is what made me realize it. Sugar Land is not a place I would want to live, it's just a another shitty suburb, albeit a more upscale one.

My town gets knocked though because people here don't make as much money, and because houses cost less.
:rolleyes: Like I am going to not like this place because my house cost $100,000 to buy when it would be worth a lot more further north. Shit, I couldn't have bought the damn thing if it was up north.

I buy this. Makes perfect sense, as Chevy Chase is just a couple miles from D.C.

Look at Maryland. They are the most educated state and spend the most on education. Education spending and smarts go hand in hand.

Best place to live is just a bit north of me (Moorestown). I almost got a job working there when I got out of college.

Why all the hate for Naperville? :)

We finish in the top 5 almost every year for the past 5-6 years so it really cannot be all THAT bad. I have lived here the past 8 years and I always thought it was a nice place to live. Certainly a place that I would one day want to raise children of my own should I have some.

There's a whole lot of golf courses in Illinois.

I am curious. What about Naperville do you like?

Well. What can't you do in Naperville? It seems everyone around is very nice and willing to take a minute or two out of their day to help you out if you need it. You go downtown and you have the beautiful riverwalk along with as many bars and restaurants a person could ever want. The city is pretty cleaned up itself compared to some of its neighbors (Bolingbrook, Plainfield come to mind.)

I don't know, I have heard a lot of people always ripping on Naperville and the people who live there, and maybe its because I, myself live there, I just do not see what all the criticism is for.

Enlighten me? I honestly don't know.

eh, I'd take Iowa City over any of the towns in the top 10

I just don't like the attitude of your general Napervillian. It's sort of the poster child for Upper Middle Class Suburbanite Scum.

Really, I have no serious reason other than that. It's just a matter of principle for me. :)

How many of those towns have you been to?

:)

I drive through Middleton, WI every day, and live in their school district ... unless my neighbors make the stupid decision to pull out of the school district. As the little blurb mentions, the schools are excellent. The city isn't anything special, but being a suburb of Madison (on the good side) makes it better.

It's obvious this list is bullshit. 2 of the top 10 are in New Jersey for christ's sake.

the town I grew up in is #98 on best places to live :)

don't know if i'd actually go that far but it was nice.

What do they say about Minnesota? That there's only 3 seasons. Last winter, this winter, and next winter. Brrrrr....

Dude.. I saw you at Target in Naperville... you were rocking your "Neuqua Hockey". Keep representin... word.

That's so dumb that they are making Loveland and Milford the same 'place' according to CNN. Loveland is our neighbor town, for instance, my brother just moved to Loveland last year and he's about 10-15 minutes away. When he writes his address, it's Loveland, OH, when I write mine at home it's Milford, OH. Don't group us! Ugh, stupid NCAA 2006 did the same thing.

That would explain why there are 48,000 people here. I know that they have done a lot of building but 48,000 people in Loveland sounded like a bit much.

You live in Loveland?

I deliver pizza in the area

For which pizza place?

Ugh. The people I've known who live in Naperville have all been self-important, backstabbing, asshats.

One of the best places to live my ass.

mmmm pizza

With Sardines, Pickles, and chocolate ice-cream? :D

I'd prefer a cheese pizza topped with chili cheese dogs and saurkraut. :)

Actually that does sound good... Oh, no! Do you think I'm pregnant? That sure would explain the gut.

We be smart.

What's a battle?

WOOO! YAY Jersey! 2 cities in the Top 10 :D.

Here's the thread I was looking for. Just thought of it after I saw Naperville listed #1 on *yet another* best places to live list. Like I said in the random thread, we're possibly moving there this summer. My in-laws live in Lisle, and since they're going to need more close care, we're going to move closer to them. And we'll probably choose Naperville for the schools. Some good comments in this thread - the 1993 Dolphins made me chuckle.