Money Magazine's annual ranking of the best places to live highlights Americans' desire for big-city amenities, small-town charm, affordable housing, and green space.
Fort Collins, Colorado, has it all -- at least according to the editors of Money Magazine, who released their annual ranking of the Best Places to Live in the United States. Nestled high in the Rocky Mountains, the city of 128,000 people has good schools, low crime, high-paying jobs, and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunties -- all high on most Americans' wish list.
Other cities that made the list include Naperville, IL,, Scottsdale, AZ, Sugar Land, TX, Boise, ID, Columbia/Ellicott City, MD, and Cary, NC.
Among cities with a population over 300,000, Colorado Springs, CO was the winner. Runners-up include Austin, TX, Mesa, AZ, Raleigh, NC, and San Diego, CA.
FULL STORY: Best Places to Live 2006

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