Kiplinger’s 2008 Best Cities to Live, Work and Play

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance picks the top 10 cities in which to live and work in the July issue. The method for the rankings involved a lot of number crunching to find cities with strong economies, lots of jobs, reasonable living costs and an abundance of recreational, cultural, and overall fun things to do. Kevin Stolarick, research director at the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think tank that studies economic prosperity, compiled the figures and says: “Our formula highlights cities not just with strong past performance, but also with all the ingredients for future success.”

To learn more about each top city, click on the city –– and don’t miss out on the video walking tours of each city.

1. Houston (pictured)
   
2. Raleigh
3. Omaha
4. Boise
5. Colorado Springs
6. Austin
7. Fayetteville
8. Sacramento
9. Des Moines
10. Provo

If you want to find out which city would be your perfect match, take the “Which City Is Best for You” questionnaire. See how your own hometown fared in the complete rankings of 359 cities.