Median home price: $353,400
Spend an afternoon in Boulder and you might find yourself asking "What recession?"
The local economy is firing on all cylinders with an unemployment rate of just 6.2%, one of the nation's lowest. The University of Colorado is the area's biggest employer, but there's also an IBM facility here and other tech businesses that offer high-paying jobs. IBM alone hired more than 500 new workers last year. The median household income is near $90,000, according to Wells Fargo.
Life is good in Boulder, which offers world-class skiing, concerts and plenty of art. A few years ago, AARP rated it one of the 10 healthiest cities for retirement. "It's got a little of the West Coast mentality, relaxed and friendly," says Lynn Ryan, a real estate agent in town.
Yet, all of those perks come at a cost. It's not easy to build a home here, given the mountainous terrain. Plus, houses have to be strong and well-insulated to endure winter storms.
But perhaps the biggest factor pushing home prices higher, according to Ryan, is the city's open space initiative. Passed in the 1970s, the city bought up more than 40,000 acres of land around the town preserve it, greatly restricting the land available for new home development.
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