Money's list of America's best small towns


Fastest job growth
Here are the counties with the highest percentage job growth (2000-2008).
Rank County Towns include Job growth % 2000-2008
1 Pinal County, AZ Gold Camp 95.90%
2 Rockwall County, TX Rockwall 84.90%
3 Kendall County, IL Yorkville, Oswego 83.40%
4 Loudoun County, VA Leesburg 76.90%
5 Douglas County, CO Castle Rock, Parker, Stonegate, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch 69.70%
6 Fort Bend County, TX Stafford, Pecan Grove, Katy 61.30%
7 Henry County, GA McDonough, Stockbridge 60.50%
8 Lake County, FL Minneola, Clermont, Mount Dora 60.20%
9 Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK Wasilla 58.50%
10 Union County, NC Indian Trail, Stallings 57.50%
11 Hamilton County, IN Westfield, Noblesville 56.80%
12 St. Johns County, FL Fruit Cove, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Palm Valley 56.00%
13 Pasco County, FL Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes 55.90%
14 Williamson County, TX Brushy Creek, Round Rock, Georgetown 53.20%
15 Collin County, TX Murphy, McKinney, Plano 52.70%
16 Cherokee County, GA Woodstock, Canton 52.40%
17 Scott County, MN Shakopee, Prior Lake, Savage 51.90%
18 Hernando County, FL Spring Hill 51.50%
19 Dallas County, IA Urbandale, Clive 51.40%
20 Will County, IL Plainfield, Shorewood, Romeoville, New Lenox, Joliet, Mokena, Goodings Grove, Crete 51.40%
21 Weld County, CO Johnstown, Greeley 51.40%
22 Hidalgo County, TX McAllen 50.60%
23 Lee County, FL Estero, Cape Coral, Iona, Bonita Springs, Villas, Cypress Lake 50.60%
24 Webb County, TX Laredo 49.20%
25 Clark County, NV Summerlin South, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Spring Valley, Las Vegas, Sunrise Manor, Paradise, Boulder City 47.70%
From the August 2009 issue
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only counties where each Best Place within it was also experiencing job growth were considered.
Best Places Winners
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Show: Top 10 | All 100
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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Information powered by Onboard Informatics
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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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