Tell us what you think of this year's Best Places to Live list.

What's most important when considering where to live?

Which are your favorite cities? The best replies will be published here.

your list is very impressive but when I looked at it I thought one might be missing. State College,PA is probably the cleanest place to live I have ever seen. Its got a wonderful view, is a college town, alot of job opportunities. etc. I just thought you were missing one.

Your ommision of Corpus Christi TX is quite amusing. But then again it is appreciated. The longer our city can remain an un-discovered secret, the more we like it.

Why is it that whenever there is a survey such as this that the Upper Peninsula of Michigan never gets a mention. It is beautiful up here, Marquette and Munising are lovely little towns and the people of the UP are just incredible.

Thanks.

Having moved from Naperville Il to greater Cincinnati OH a year and a half ago I can say that the Cincinnati suburbs have it all over Naperville. Less traffic, better roads and no tollways, beautiful scenery, cleaner, more culture, more and better resturants, shorter commutes with jobs in closer proximity to homes, better home values, larger home lots, closer to downtown, and better weather are a few of the advantages that Anderson township, Maderia, Union township etc. have over Naperville.

Next Year please take a look at Geneva, Illinois. Geneva is about 10-15 miles west of Naperville, IL. It is a smaller community located on the Fox River. It is a quaint beautiful town with excellent schools, shopping, and restaurants. It is a suburb of Chicago with the feel of a small town. The crime rate is extremely low and the level of community involvement is high. It is a wonderful place to raise a family.

Where is Montana??? I have lived here for over 60 years and would not move to anywhere....even Naperville where my daughter lives!!

I have lived in Ft Collins my whole life and I'm so proud that it has been recognized for what it's worth. I've never come across another city like my own and I always thought I was biased. I'm so honored to live here! Thank you for the recognation!

Another place you want to check out for next years list is Ludington, Michigan. Lake Michigan Shoreline, beautiful town, beautiful people and growing steadily.

I go to CSU and absolutely love Fort Collins. I grew up in a small mountain in Colorado, and Fort Collins has that same feel, but with everything you need. I love it. I do plan on making it my home once I am done with school.

Long Beach, NY is a great place to live. We've got the Atlantic, all types of housing, a diverse community, and a commute to Manhattan of under an hour. All homes here are walking distance to the ocean, and we have a beautiful white beach and a 2.2 mile boardwalk where folks can walk, run, bicycle, attend concerts or just sit and enjoy the view. We're cooler in the summer and walmer in the winter than other localities by up to 10 degrees, and we have a wealth of leisure activities for all ages. Great restaurants and popular night spots attract people from all over the area. In short, Long Beach has much to offer, and if you love the ocean, there couldn't be a better place to live.

I noticed Monterey, CA wasn't even in your top 90, but it's the best placed I've EVER lived (and I was born in Longmont, CO) but I guess it didn't make your list because it's an expensive place to live. What a shame (as I look at my Pacific Ocean view).....'cause you ask anyone who knows this place....it's paradise!

Fort Collins is finally receiving the attention it deserves. We'll be moving back to Fort Collins in the next couple of years. It is a fabulous place--beautiful, moderate climate, lots of sunshine and fresh air, and an open rural, yet culturally satisfying environment. It's also reasonably convenient to Denver International airport and all the additional activities and attractions in Denver, Boulder, and Rocky Mountain National Park. There's a beautiful new events center just outside of town that is attracting great concerts and sporting events. A new state-of-the art medical center is nearly completed. Recreation possibilities are endless. It's family friendly and open to newcomers. Career choices have taken us to other states for a few years now, but we will be returning to Ft. Collins as soon as possible! (Real estate is still affordable there--great upside potential in the market!)

Sugar Land, Texas is a great place to live and work. The schools are outstanding, the parks and recreation areas are excellent, and the shopping and restaurants are fabulous. Housing is reasonable and the properties are beautifully maintained. And, the state is expanding the freeways into the city, so the commutes are quick and easy. We love it.

I have lived in many places over the years, and I must say that Sparks, Nevada embodies everything any family could desire. The Money poll did not do justice to our fine town. The Money poll failed to mention our downtown events - practically one every summer weekend - the Rib Cook off, Hot August Nights events, Balloon Races, Street Vibrations, Farmer's Market, Fourth of July celebrations, events at the Sparks Marina. While some of these may be listed as Reno, Nevada events, Sparks has concurrent celebrations that provide great family outings. There is an abundance of sunshine, great family neighborhoods, friendly stores and even motorists who wave and graciously give access for turns and right-of-way! Our high schools enjoy broad community support for events such as football, marching band, and theater presentations. And the weather - you can't beat the weather anywhere; lively springs, just right summers, colorful falls, and just the right amount of snow in winter.

How Grosse Pointe, MI doesn't even make the top 50 I do not understand...great schools and parks, phenomenal architecture, no crime, right on Lake St. Clair, and affordable (compared to other upscale Detroit suburbs). The best kept secret in Michigan.

I live in Fairfield, CT and, although I enjoy it, this city does not belong in the top 10. I grew up in Newton, Ma and can honestly say that it is a far superior city. There is so much more to do, it has a great public school system, and it's a very safe place to live.

Very enjoyable list though, looks like I might have to check out Fort Collins. Also, I have traveled to almost every major city in the U.S. and Austin, TX and San Diego, CA are the two most enjoyable places I have ever been.

You should check out Bel Air,MD it's a great place to live and is located right next to the chesapeake bay.

Naperville is GREATLY overrated. It was a nice town 20 years ago, but is now just another mega-suburb of Chicago with high home prices.

I was surprised that Chattanooga, Tennessee didn't make it. We've got a great down town, low cost of living and outdoor amenities that rival anywhere else in the country.

I can't beleive Charleston, West Virginia, with its mountains, tourism, and low cost of living didn't make the list. A city with a great cost of living, low cost of doing business, great culture, a wonderful river, and great fairs and fastivals, Charleston WV should be on this list.

I can't believe that California only had three cities in the top 50. Obviously, you did not take climate and beauty into consideration.

You obviously can't find your way to the west side of michigan. Grand Haven MI made the top 10 beachs of america. We have the best schools in the state. We consitantly run far above state averages on the MEAp. As far as math and science goes our Science Olympians have gone to Nationals where they consitantly place in the Top 3 the last 15 years in a row. I see alot of cities on the east side but I invite your researchers to come to the West!! I am sure you will agree we do have one of the best cities in America if not the world. My husband has lived all over and he always is saying that GH is the best place to raise children and to live our retirement.

I went to visit Gilbert, AZ to decide if I wanted to purchase a home there about 3 weeks ago. No wonder it made the top 20, the city is absolutely amazing. I have decided to buy there and become part of this fantastic growing community.

Cary, NC is a great place to live--if you like big SUV's, McMansions, and new sprawling shopping centers that all look the same.

First, a number of these communities simply don't belong on a small town/city list. I lived in Gilbert, AZ and I loved it but it is a part of the Phoenix metro area and shouldn't be considered much else. That is true of a number of the communities listed.

As for small towns to consider, there are loads in the middle of the country, places like Northwest Arkansas, Springfield, IL, the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa, Cedar Rapids, etc.

Also, one of my favorite towns is Hershey, PA.

Thanks for keeping Huntsville, Alabama a secret. Most who come here from all parts of the country like it and stay or come back if they have to leave. Small is great and we have it all.

Heh. Glad you missed - apparently didn't even look at - Durango, Colorado. There is no Front Range city that comes close to matching the quality of life here!

Livermore, right. Hot, hot, hot, as in over 100 degrees today. Traffic on the 580 (the major freeway in or out) is a nightmare and will only get worse as the central valley towns continue to grow. Do your homework Money.

Overland Park is a quaint little community nestled on the fringes of Kansas City. It is a nice place with terrific amenities such as great restaurants, theaters (both movie and live), many concert venues, and majestic art museums to name but a few. The only thing standing between OP and world renowned greatness is the fact that it is in Kansas (which carries with it a certain social stigma associated with flat prairies, tornados and little girl with a dog that fights with witches and flying monkeys). It is one of the U.S.'s best kept secrets... shhhh! Don't tell anyone how great this place is. They might be tempted to move here.

Naperville, IL is stunning. High Quality of life. They missed talking about BEST Libraries our city has to offer. Other advantage is train infrastructure that connects to Chicago in 30 minutes.

Sugar Land, Texas?! If these were indeed the best cities to live in then we would all be living there. This is primarily a list of the Blandest Places in the Country. The best places to live are the ones that continually attract and retain residents, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pasadena, Boston and Cambridge. Still, it is nice to see how happy all these boosters posting comments here are with their own little suburban Edens.

I first arrived in Fort Collins in 1981 and am leaving this year / 2006. If you appreciate traffic, sprawl, anal neighbors, congestion, depressed air quality (ozone, haze, pollution ), and commuting > 50 miles to Denver ( i.e., to make a decent wage ), Fort Collins is calling your name. Home prices have fallen atleast 10 - 15% over the last few years given the export of local IT jobs overseas. Escaping to the mountains on weekends has become "take a number" given the line of traffic heading up SR14 and I-70. Natives and semi-natives are moving out to Wyoming and Montana and elsewhere to escape the californication of Colorado. Open space is rapidly being swallowed up by commercial interest(s). What was once "Colorful Colorado" is now "Crowded Colorado". "When you call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye - The Eagles".

Henderson, NV? I have been there, and not much to see, except the Vegas skyline. What about Santa Barbara or San luis Obispo? Both great California Cities with great weather & little crime. Weak List.

i think that Bloomington, indiana, not even in your top90 is crazy and should deffintly be added

When you rated the cities, you forgot to factor in something that makes a big difference in quality of life: weather. I live in Carlsbad, CA, which did not make your top 100 list. I previously have lived in Eden Prairie, MN and near Fargo, ND - both on your top 100. I will trade glorious sunny days and proximity to the ocean for all the restaurants, movie theatres, and cheap housing that supposedly gives "quality of life". Fargo, ND can resemble Siberia for 8 months out of the year. Eden Prairie, MN has weather that is only slightly better. Quality of life means not having to get up at 5 a.m. to blow 2 feet of snow out of the driveway so you can get to work on time.

Pembroke Pines and Mirimar Florida both in the top 100? you're kidding, right?

We just moved the family from this area within the past two months to Texas. Home insurance is going up as much as 80% due to the hurricanes. Taxes are on the rise, as well.

Traffic is higher than it should be for an area such as this to be considered top 100, as well.

Median home price of $260k? maybe three years ago. Home prices in this area are so out of control that cities are looking for ways to subsidize the cost of a home for teachers.

I am glad you have totally neglected New England. Were the truth to get out about places such as St. Johnsbury, Vermont or Hanover, New Hampshire, our idyllic communities would likely lose their lustre and wonder.

Folsom, Ca DOES have a beautiful new Community College, Folsom Lake College

I noticed there was only ONE town in the state of Indiana on this list.
Indiana has some of the smallest, cleanest,friendliest, non crime neighborhoods...!
My town has 1 stop light, no congestion, plenty of little shops and such and vertually NO crime record at all! Come on now! I think you need to research EVERY town and city in EVERY state before coming to these conclusions! I mean places on your list with populations in the 900,000 mark SURELY with NO DOUBT have CRIME!!!Hmmmf!

I am from Colorado Springs, and now I go to school at Colorado State in Ft. Collins, Colorado! I must commend you on your excellent choices as you hit the nail on the head with this one!

Thank you for not putting Austin, TX high on the list. The housing prices here have gone out of sight and the only people moving here are from California. We don't need anymore Starbucks,k?

It never fails, survey after survey. Are there any folks that compile these surveys from the "Inland Empire" - Eastern Washington? Spokane is almost never mentioned - good or bad on these lists. Maybe it's a good thing it's not. That way the city/metro area can continue to be a quiet, clean, safe place to grow up/live/work.

Where is Lexington, KY?? Easily top 10 in low crime, schools, medical services, weather, etc.

why is it whenever these surveys come up Hawaii isn't included as a state? what is the criteria for the best place to live? Hawaii should be among the top because it is relatively safe to live, you can drink water straight from the tap that is sweet and refreshing with no chlorine taste, weathers always good, people are nice, convenient transportation and convenient shopping, all the good stuff is there already, so why isn't it in here?

Have you looked at Grandview Ohio? We are a community located very near downtown Columbus. (Commuting is a breeze.) Great schools, trendy shops and cafes, and wonderful older homes. This is a very real community filled with good old fashioned pride, and a whole bunch of school spirit. We have lovely older homes here and plenty of parks and green space. A small village in the city where neighbors care about each other. Come see us before you post your next Best Places survey!

I live in Fort Collins and love it. I have lived in many places in the US but nothing compares to the weather, (300 days of sunshine) the people, year round golf and cheap houses. We bought our 4 bedroom 4 bath with 3 car garage last year for only 258000 and the house is only 9 years old at the end of a cul-de-sac. I guess now that this story hit NBC and CNN, prices are going up.

Why aren't 'people' considered in the list? I've lived near one or two places on the list and the people in those places were so unfriendly. How can a place be great to live in if the people aren't nice?

I find it amazing that Annapolis, MD (a quaint historic town on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay) wasn't even in the running. Ellicot City (one of the finalists) can't hold a candle to Annapolis and Rockville is just one long shopping mall!

I lived just outside of Raleigh and Cary for 25 years, a large portion of my youth. It is beautiful and full of good schools, affordable real estate, and virtually stress free. However, I think it should be noted that it is mainly such for people with families or on the brink of starting up a family. Also, it's somewhat unfortunate (while fortunate at the same time) that these two cities keep making the poll, it's growing some of the charm right out of the cities. In the past 20 yrs. it has become a virtual hotbed of relocated persons from the northeast.

They might be the best places to live, but boring as all get out.

I agree with the comment about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I lived there for 6 years, and currently live in Canton, MI. I would go back to Marquette in a heartbeat if there was work.

Did weather ever cross your minds. How could anyone prefer to live in any place that freezes? Humidity makes life horrible too. Having lived in Naperville the #2 city, it just can't compare with about 50 cities in Southern California.

I don't know who told you that Mt. Pleasant, SC has a commute time of 19 minutes, but they were either lying, or measuring it at 3 a.m. Between 7 and 10 am and 3 and 6 pm, it takes at LEAST 45 minutes to get anywhere.

Ft C was a better place to live 40 years ago before all the traffic and concept restaurants moved in. I am not sure how all this data is accumulated but as someone who drove 150 miles round trip to work everyday for 6 years I know more people commute to Denver or elsewhere to work than what is claimed here. I-25 is packed at 5AM every day and it doesn't let up until around 9AM.

Over the last few years we have seen some of our biggest employers move out and others lay-off many more people.

Finally you have stated nothing about the local foreclosure rate which is well above the national average.

The most overlooked city in America is Indianapolis. Having lived in Japan, Germany, California, Utah and New Hampshire, Hoosiers aren't missing anything with what they have: Eli Lilly, Cummins, Wellpoint, Toyota, GM, Chrysler, Honda, etc. employers, low, low expenses, great road system around Indy, America's best sports on college and pro-levels. Did I mention all the monuments and arts around downtown? Indy is also probably the cleanest big city in the world.
P.S. This survey validates my lack of confidence in surveys because they are so far off!

I've lived in 3 of the top 25. They all deserve to be there!

Chicago is always looked at as just a big, dirty city with lots of crime. Well, come visit, and you'll see why us Chicagoans would never move!! :)

Fishers, IN. no. 33 The population must be way off because the residents of Fishers are packed so close together that they can barely breath. I'm sure its well over 100,000 at least thats the way it seems if you try to get there during rush hour.

I find it VERY disappointing that this list is composed of many cities and/or states that are listed as the best places to live yet are hit yearly by power outages, tornadoes or wild fires. This list eliminates Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh entirely for all but ONE listing. PA is a BEAUTIFUL state as well is the city of Pittsburgh for living. Nor do we ever have any of the listed natural disasters. Thank You!

come on down to Palm Springs, California.. It's 115 today and we only have another month and a half of this heat. You stay inside and your a/c
bill can be up to 300 a month. It's so hot you melt when you go outside and can only stay in a pool for a little amount of time. The other 6 months its beautiful here.

Not true about Cary, NC. Single family homes start at 400,000.00;Unless you want to live in a 1300 sq. foot shack. Taxes are going up (start at $2,000.00 py) because this area is kept as one of the best places to live. Take it off your list before it get ruined anymore by developers who clearcut and build houses 10 feet apart from each other.

I think trying to rank cities is a lot like trying to herd cats. You can't do it effectively. There are justs too many variables. The variables I consider are cost of living, crime rates, and the friendliness of the people living in the area. That is why I live where I do.

I recently moved from central New Jersey to Atlanta metro (Alpharetta)GA, and I find it VERY hard to believe that (5) cities from NJ made it and (0)from GA??!!!

Too many of these cities on the list are auto-centric sprawling suburban cities that you must have a car to get around to anything. What will happen to these cities if gas prices reach $6/gallon? Or a large percentage of the baby boomer generation is unable to drive? They will be forced to stay in their little retirement communities, totally dependent on others for everything. It is time to get over the fascination of sprawling suburbs with huge cookie-cutter homes, large yards, massive roads, and massive congestion problems. We need to start building and promoting denser, walkable neighborhoods, otherwise there will be no scenic, undeveloped land left in this beautiful country.

WOW, I saw Naperville, Boca Raton and Coral Springs, lol. I would hate to live any of those places...what about Mendacino, Ashville or Portland??

The congestion around Naperville and the 1 and 1/2 hour commute to drive to Chicago should put this city at the bottom of your list.

We moved here 18 mos. ago, and I will first say I'm prejudiced as the CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Lived in Denver and in Co Springs in the 80's, so thought this would be a similar experience.

This has far, far exceeded my expectations. We have lived in 6 cities in 4 states and by far this is the best place ever. My wife loves it, as do the kids. Not crowded, beautiful, great climate, and one of the coolest downtowns you'll ever visit. The outdoor feel combined with the chic of a college town and the education level of a high tech area all thrown into one place.

Your free time is tough. You have to decide between hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, fly fishing, rock climbing, rafting and kayaking, walking the dogs in fabulous parks, hanging out in Old Town, going to theater, touring the breweries, strolling the galleries...

Life doesn't get much better than this.

What about Fond du lac, Wisconsin? We are from Milwaukee and we astonished at how safe, cheap housing, safe (and I mean nobody locks their doors--bothcars/homes!) affordability and talk about a short commute? It takes literally 1o minutes to et from one end of the city to the end...and Fond du Lac is one of the most BEAUTIFUL cities we've ever seen! The schools are also great and we also have so many (too many to count---per capita) resources/organizations for helping the poor, etc. We LOVE living here! People treat each other like neighbors!

You'd better like the "great indoors" too in Fort Collins. If you don't ski or like to build igloos there isn't much else going on from November to March.

Murfeesboro was the only TN city to make the top 100 list. I, being a TN native, can certainly refute and reject that idea. Nashville and Chattanooga both far surpass any positive that Murfeesboro has to offer its citizens. Terrible, terrible list if I must say so myself.

fort collins is a boring town. how'd you come up with that ? thanks.

These are all suburbs! The only reason that they are somewhat decent is because they are close to interesting places like Austin, etc. Sugar Land is going to have a field day with this. It doesn't need any more ego.

I'm very glad you overlooked Pittsburgh....saves us from turning into an Atlanta...one awful urban sprawl...please continue to overlook us...keeps our city clean, beautiful, unique(not full of strip malls and chains)and also low volumes of traffic!

Wow. Fort Collins #1. Being born and raised in Colorado, and residing in Denver, I'd have to say it must have come a long way since my college years. But I assume this is mostly based on where some people think it's best to raise a family.

nice list, but not even close to what I would think and I've been in mnay of those places.

I was really happy to see Austin on the list of best big cities. I want to move there after graduating college because it's a "young" city with lots of tech jobs, but still has low real estate prices. Here in Silicon Valley, senior engineers with families live in small apartments because house prices are so astronomical. In Austin, I could raise my future kids in a nice house like the one I grew up in.

Columbia/Ellicott? This isn't even in the top ten for the DC area...very amusing indeed.

I was interested to see the list...to see if I wanted to move to one of these places. But when I saw Sugarland,TX as #3, I knew the list was worthless. I live in the "Houston area" and anywhere within 100 miles of Houston is a crappy place to live. The quality of life in this area is the worse I've seen.

We live in Cheyenne, WY and love visiting, shopping and just hanging out in Ft. Collins. You just feel more alive there. It is absolutely beautiful and vibrant. So many things to do and see. It's fabulous. I'm kind of sorry it's voted #1 as I've always felt it was this area's best kept secret. But now, everyone will know what we know. Fabulous, fun, safe, beautiful place to live!!!

I live about 45 miles south of Fayetteville, Ark. and find that it is not only better, but cheaper. Try again and put the Fort Smith area (Van Buren) into the mix......

Where did you get these banaas from...have they ever been upstate NY? Right under their noses,Glens Falls/Queensbury,probably the fastest growing per capita area on the east coast has the lowest crime, low taxes,breathtaking beauty at the foot of (Lake George,greatest lake in America)the Adirondacks. Ask them why everybody from 2 countries converge here.Please hire me at a reasonably cheap price(a lot lower than you paid for this garbage report)to assess these whizbangs that came up with to report this....I mean Edison?Wayne?Middletown?Ramapo? What were these people thinking of????

My son lives in Scottsdale while attending school. Whoever the moron was that said this is a great place to live must make well over 100K a year! It's rediculously hot and too expensive. My son can't wait to get out of ther!

Great article and was surprised to see a place like Napierville, IL on the list(lived in the area). If you included the property taxes in your survey, probably a third would not be ranked in the top.

I can not believe that not one city in Georgia was named.

So happy to hear that our old town Eden Prairie, MN is on the list! It was wonderful place and a great place to raise a family. Although we love where we are living now on the east coast, we have fond memories of our old stomping grounds. Great choice Money Magazine!

Where is Vienna, Va? Last year it was #4 and this year it's not even a finalist. It's a great place!

Your list of the 10 best big cities is biased against the older cities of this nation (except for New York). For instance, my hometown of Cleveland outshines any of the cities on your list (except for New York). Cleveland has the third finest medical center in the country; one of the "Big Five" symphony orchestras; one of the ten best museums of art; a main public library building second in size only to New York's; a performing arts center second in size only to Washington's Kennedy Center; the beautiful "Emerald Necklace" Metroparks System; the beautiful Lake Erie shoreline; and some of the finest (and affordable) housing stock in suburban areas that you will find anywhere. Plus, I didn't even mention Jacobs Field and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

The fact that Warren, Michigan is #82 on your list makes it completely null and void. That city is a dump. I lived in the area near Warren almost my entire life and couldn't wait to leave. I live in beautiful Yorktown, Virginia now which deserves to be on the list much more than Warren. Also, the fact that you left out Michigan's Upper Peninsula is questionable too. Whomever put this list together needs to do a better job next time.

Thank goodness. My favorites didn't make your list.

It's great to live in one of the top 100.

Median home price $405,000 $256,659 for Bellevue washington? ok apparently no one has spent time there, that is off by atleast 300,000.

Out of curiosity, a lot of people love San Francisco, but its not on the list. Any particular reason?

The ommission of Chico, California one of the amazing jewels of the US is glaring. The only negative I see is the jump in housing prices the last five years. Chico has so much culture and so many local natural opportunities not to mention a great downtown and a highly diverse population for norcal. Chico is just an amazing place.

I'm sorry but you seem to have left out a state that I'm quite sure would rank high on your lists of cleanest air,high incomes,coldest,and most definately one of the most beautiful states with all kinds of out door activities year round. The state in which I speak of is Alaska, I don't see it on any of your best of lists, why is that? Please don't tell me that you didn't know it was part of the United States of America {as it seems a lot of people don't know this} Or is it that because Canada seperates it from the rest of the states that it does'nt qualify to be in such a "Best of" survey? You can't tell me that Alaska does'nt have the qualities your survey lists. Maybe I would be more inclined to believe this survey to be accurate if next year you include all 52 states and thier cities in your survey

Fort Collins' No. 1 ranking is justified. Both my daughter and her husband teach at Colorado State University and enjoy all the city's amenities attributed to a healthy, active family lifestyle. I also agree with Scottsdale's No. 7 ranking since it is my residence of choice after assessing many other locations for a warm climate,very active semi-retirement.

You may wish to evaluate Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for your next list. National Geographic ranks Lake Coeur d'Alene as one of the five most beautiful lakes in the world and its lifestyle and amenities should more than qualify for future consideration.

Millie Thomson
Scottsdale, AZ

I was quite surprised to see that only one city in North Carolina was posted. Although I now live in Maryland, I was born and raised in North Carolina and have also traveled to many other cities and states and have yet to find a state or city as friendly, beautiful or clean as North Carolina. Just a thought...

What? Not one in Louisiana? Shocking!

I grew up in Columbia in the '80s. A lot has changed since then. There a lot more strip malls and the spirit of rich, poor, black, white, etc.. living side by side seems to have been tested a bit. Still, it was a wonderful place to grow up.

How about the 100 most interesting places to live, since many of these best places are BORING?

Your list seems quite interesting. There are a couple of cities that boggle my mind. One in particular is Aurora. How can Aurora IL be on that list? There are far better cities in the outskirts of Chicago especially the Northern suburbs. Where's Lake Forest, Northbrook, Wilmette, Evanston, Skokie, St. Charles? I gurantee you that any one of those towns are better than Aurora

Your telling me that with 90 cities and only 50 states... That Delaware couldnt even field one city... Time for me to call my Realtor!!!

Mission Viejo, CA one of the safest cities in California

I would take Bozeman, MT. over almost every place listed on your BEST PLACES TO LIVE.

I cannot believe that Delaware isnt mentioned. We have some great schools (Lake Forest) and some wonderful beaches ( Rehoboth). There is a housing boom ( Lower DE.) and a very low crime rate.
Even better we are 3 hours from anything you might want to do (3 hours to NYC, 1 to Washington DC, 1.5 to Phildelphia 2.5 to Virginia Beach) and still be able to come home to country quiet.
What a shame everyone is missing this gem.

Not a place in Montana? What are your priorities? I can live anywhere and I have chosen the best state in the USA.

we have been in Corpus Christi, TX for 4 years now and absolutly love it - you have some great TX cities in the mix - but add the beach and palm trees and it's over the top - next time look at the Guld Coast area - you wont be dissapointed.

I grew up in Loveland and was in high school in the 1990s. Fort Collins was the cool place to hang out and cruise the downtown area. It's a great place to live or visit!

I completely agree with Fairfield, CT being in the top ten, but where are these stats coming from? average commuting time of 22 minutes. That is only accurate if they're just desscribing the average time to get THROUGH Fairfield on the Turnpike or Parkway.

I grew up in Dallas, Texas, and I'm still suprised to learn that suburbs of the city end up at the top of these kinds of lists. Plano, Richardson and Carrollton, all in the top 25, are not horrible places to live, but I can't see how they are the best either, because they are so far away from the main city and lack decent public transportation systems. Many people call Plano "The Bubble" b/c it's like a protected little suburb that you don't have to leave to do anything. All three areas are very boring and sterile.

It's really easy to find nice communities when all the median home values are over $300,000. Why not find some cuter places that are actually affordable for the typical american family that isn't swimming in debt?

Thank you for leaving Maumelle, Ar off your list. It is the best kept secret in Arkansas!!

Why aren't there any places listed on the top places from the other places in Va..ie Charlottesville and the middle peninsula of Va ie Gloucester and Williamsburg area?

The data on the individual cities is useful, but to try to roll it up and conclude what is "best" is silly. The same person who would want to live in Ft. Collins is not going to consider Naperville or Sugerland good 2nd and 3rd choices. If you like skiing and kayaking you'll love Ft. Collins and would go insane in Sugerland TX.

Greenville,SC has to be in there somewhere

Rockville, MD, Reston, VA, and other suburbs surrounding larger cities might be nice places to raise kids but they are the most ugly, dull parts of our country. Rockville is nothing but a string of strip malls.

I lived in Sugar Land. Parts of it are really nice... some parts are pretty dumpy. I'm suprised it ranted so high.

Where is Ashburn, Virginia?

The best city in Pennsylvania is Bethlehem, an old, run down steel town. It's a suburb of Philadelphia, yet no other Philadelphia suburb made it? Now that's odd.

I grew up in Ft. Collins and still have family there to visit. It's a great place to be any time of year!

Amazing. Not one in Georgia. I think Fort Valley, Georgia is the best place to raise a family if you want your children to have a truly rounded education. Demographics are mixed and the school system is getting better each year.

Nice to see Scottsdale, AZ in the top 10 (as it deserves to be). We've been here for 5 years
(from the MD/N-VA area). We traded snow shovels, rain, snow, humidity for 300 days of sunshine.
Yes, we roast like a chicken for 3-4 months, and you have to change your routine. But for 8 months, temps raning between 65-85 is awesome.
We have a low crime rate, awesome shopping, affordable housing (compared to many east coast areas), and there aren't enough days to visit all the restaurants. Commuting on average for most folks is under an hour. Many folks spend less than 30 minutes on the road commuting. Arizona has everything. Ya like to ski? Head north for 90 minutes. Beaches aren't around the corner, but there are many lakes and most folks
have a pool or access to one.

Way to go, Delaware. You fail to place on the list at all, and none of your residents even bother to blog any surprise.

Must be a great place to live.

Does anyone know where Addison Texas is? It's a wonderful towne in the middle of Dallas, Texas.

I am from WI originally... I can't fathom why any of the places where you freeze your tail off for half the year made the list.

I can't figure out why so few in NC made the list. It is nice here and the climate is reasonable.

Come on places like Eden Praire, Naperville, Scottsdale and Sugarland to name a few are just suburbs of large metropolitan areas. To single them out over the entire metro area is a joke.

By coming up with a single list of what is "best" you are essentially saying that all people want the same things. I think that it would be better to have a few categories so that people could choose one that they indentify with. For example, the top 3 cities on your list are going to appeal to completely different groups of people. I've been to all 3, for example, and would live in Ft. Collins but not even consider Naperville or Sugerland. Why? Because I like to ski, kayak, paraglide, and do other activities that require mountains.

So you might want to think about some categories like:
"urbanites" (music, restaurants, hip coffee hangouts, etc. get extra weighting)"
"outdoor mountain sport lovers"
"suburban families"
"retired" (want to be close to a hospital, quiet, safe, ...)

and so on. Each category would have criteria that it must meet (like having mountains nearby) and then the other criteria would be weighted differently for each category.

I moved from central New Jersey to Columbia, MO and I find it VERY hard to believe that (5) cities from NJ made it and rank higher than Columbia(#76). We have so much better quality of life and the entire family loves this place.

Do any of these top ten cities have much racial and economic diversity? At first glance they all look like pretty white and affluent communities?

We moved to Plano, TX 6 years ago and the only thing hot about it is the weather. Air quality is horrible. If you dont have alergies when you relocate here, you will once you leave...lol Excellent schools though......

I've lived in Overland Park, KS for about 40 years. What a great area. I've traveled lots and always am glad to come home. Kansas City area is a great area. Very friendly people who are always willing to help someone in need of a smile.

I'm in San Fran. Drove my car twice last month. Prices? How is that figured?

Lived in Larimer County until the dot.com bust. I do believe it is the Best Place to Live. Just bring your own job, 'cause you can't eat the mountain views.

FC is great. Excellent fishing in northern colo. Horsetooth Reservoir is 10 minutes up the road with great camping, skiing, and fishing. (http://www.fishexplorer.com/fx/lakedet.asp?lid=2123) Outlying towns are booming. Downtown Old Town is special!

I was rather shocked not to see Montana on your list but now understand why.... you are helping to keep it still the "last best place". I would not give up the Majestic Rocky Mountains for anything. There is nothing better. Life is good here in Montana!!

A lot of you seem to not realize that the criteria for making this list is for the place to first have more than 49k people. Some of these little towns all you are proposing, they m