Money's list of America's best small towns


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22. Draper, UT
Draper
WINNER
Top 100 rank: 22
Population: 38,600
Compare Draper to Top 10 Best Places
Draper's population tripled from 1990 to 2000, and it's not hard to see why. Twenty minutes from Salt Lake City, this town offers an abundance of amenities: a new $3 million library, three tennis courts, a swimming pool, a golf course, and 29 parks.

There's a wide variety of hiking trails, plus a world-class hang gliding spot called Point of the Mountain.

Most residents live in modern subdivisions, but for those who wish to raise horses, a few larger properties are available. --N.A.

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Draper stats
Median family income
(per year)		 $100,798 $97,441
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 53.76% 19.58%
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Median home price $359,000 $262,148
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Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 13.4% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 15.1% 28.2%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 1 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 27 19
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 1,738 1,923
High temp in July ° F* 90.4° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 23.0° 21.0°
Median age 29.4 36.6
Median family income
(per year)		 $100,798 $97,441
Family purchasing power
(annual, cost-of-living adjusted)		 $101,000 $95,041
State sales tax 4.65% 5.63%
State income tax rate
(highest bracket)		 5.00%I 6.06%
State income tax rate
(lowest bracket)		 5.00%I 3.07%
Auto insurance premiums
(Average price quotes, for the state)		 $1,701 $1,744
Job growth %
(2000-2008)*		 53.76% 19.58%
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Median home price $359,000 $262,148
Average property taxes
(2007)		 $2,070 $3,853
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Colleges, universities and
professional schools (within 30 miles)		 8 20
Test scores reading
(% above/below state average)		 13.4% 25.6%
Test scores math
(% above/below average)		 15.1% 28.2%
% students attending public/private
schools (located within town limits)		 61.1/38.9 90.1/9.9
Air quality index*
(% of days AQI ranked as good)		 57.0% 78.6%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 1 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 27 19
Median commute time (in minutes) 23.5 22.5
% population with commute
45 mins. or longer		 10.8% 13.8%
% population walk or bike to work 1.3% 2.3%
Movie theaters
(within 15 miles)		 35 24
Restaurants
(within 15 miles)		 1,738 1,923
Bars
(within 15 miles)		 88 174
Public golf courses
(within 30 miles)		 81 148
Libraries
(within 15 miles)		 58 53
Museums (accredited by AAM;
within 30 miles)		 3 7
Ski resorts (within 100 miles) 12 17
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) 1.4 1.2
Annual rainfall
(inches)		 19.96 39.77
% clear days in the area 34 27
High temp in July ° F* 90.4° 85.5°
Low temp in Jan ° F* 23.0° 21.0°
Median age 29.4 36.6
Completed at least some college
(% of residents)		 76.8% 71.9%
Married % 60.4% 62.9%
Divorced % 8.7% 7.7%
Racial diversity index
(100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity)		 33.9 58.9
From the August 2009 issue
Notes:
* County data

(I) Income tax notes:
The standard deduction is taken in the form of a nonrefundable credit of 6% of the federal standard or itemized deduction amount, excluding the deduction for state or local income tax. This credit phases out at 1.3 cents per dollar above $12,000 of AGI ($24,000 for married couples). For 2008 the federal standard deduction is $5,450 for single filers and $10,900 for joint filers.
Three-quarters of the federal exemption.
Help your town win!
Money picked the top 100. Now it’s your turn: Which town will be our fan favorite? Become a fan of your town and it might just make it to No. 1. Results updated monthly.
Town Become a fan # of fans
1. Louisville, CO Become a fan on facebook Add me! 4,256
2. Chanhassen, MN Become a fan on facebook Add me! 2,410
3. Papillion, NE Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,581
4. Middleton, WI Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,481
5. Milton, MA Become a fan on facebook Add me! 1,425
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How we picked the Best Places
Using statistics from data provider Onboard Informatics, we crunched the numbers in order to zero in on America's best small towns for families. (Last year, we looked at small cities, with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.) More

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