In the third year Forbes has compiled the list, the new data factors included in this year's survey bumped New York City off the list and moved Buffalo into the top spot out of 50 metropolitan areas.
The list looked at cost of living, childcare costs, commute times, unemployment, physician quantity, cost per pupil, and violent crime.
"Jobless levels in the upstate region are lower than they are in 70% of the nation's biggest metro areas, and wages, which had been stagnant in 2008 and 2009 saw new momentum last year. Pair all that with lower than average crime rates, a low cost of living and the highest per-pupil expenditure of any city on our list, and it's clear Buffalo is an attractive locale for savvy working mothers. Amy Jo Lauber, a financial planner in the area, and a member of the Buffalo-Niagara chapter of NYS Women's Inc.says there is also an uptick in female entrepreneurs in the area, citing the Women's Business Center at Canisius College as a valuable resource."
FULL STORY: The Best Cities For Working Mothers 2011

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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research