Des Moines, Iowa |
For Young Adults
1) Madison, Wisconsin is overflowing with young computer programmers, engineers, and tech-smart grads who work for companies like Epic Systems, a health-care software developer that has 5,600 employees and annual revenues of over one billion. The city “has the benefits of a major metropolitan area but with small-town values.”
2) Austin, Texas not only has running trails, kayaking, and late night live music, but eBay, PayPal and Facebook are all hiring.
3) Boston, Massachusetts has a flourishing job market in the areas of education, health care and finance, along with great bars, restaurants, and championship-winning sports teams.
For Professionals
1) Washington, D.C. is the leading US city for job growth in professional services. There’s no lack of government jobs, law firms, consulting companies, biotech, cyber-security, and health research. The city hosts some of the country’s best museums, symphony orchestras, and ballet performances.
2) Durham, North Carolina is a hot-bed for companies that specialize in computer, biological, and environmental technology. IBM and GlaxoSmithKline are major employers.
3) Huntsville, Alabama has numerous plump jobs in computer technology, high-tech manufacturing, life science, and in the aerospace and defense industries.
For Families
1) Des Moines, Iowa is the home of Wells Fargo, with 13,000 employees, and Principal Financial, with 6,300 employees. Low housing costs dazzle newcomers – the average four-bedroom home with a garage will fit into any budget at $200,000. The schools are first-rate and the average daily commute is only about 10 minutes. The city and its suburbs boast of 300 miles of connected bike and walking trials. The downsides: cold winters and very high property taxes.
2) Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire residents pay high property taxes but no state income tax or sales tax. Houses are affordable and the median income exceeds the national average. A one hour drive brings you to the sea-coast or to the popular and ruggedly spectacular White Mountains.
3) Trenton – Ewing, New Jersey is the home of Princeton University and some of the nation’s best public schools. It’s within driving distance of the infamous Jersey shore and the famous resorts, scenic beauty and 150 lakes surrounding the Pocono Mountains.
For Retirees
1) New Orleans, Louisiana has bounced back in a big way after Hurricane Katrina seven years ago. There’s been a jump in the population, small businesses, shopping malls, and newly constructed homes. For retirees, the cost of living and house prices are comparatively low, the health care is affordable and reliable, and there are numerous tax breaks. The weather is very comfortable for most of the year and the crime rate is at about the national average. The people are friendly and some retirees call it “A Disneyland for grown-ups.”
2) Corvallis, Oregon has an endless number of recreational activities for retirees, including the famous Willamette River bike trail. The Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center is one of the nation’s finest and provides several dozen specialties. The weather is excellent except for umbrella costs – the area averages 149 rainy days every year.
3) Palm Bay, Florida provides plenty of what everyone expects from a Florida area for retirees: beaches, golf courses, an aquatic center, 29 beautiful parks and a 200 acre regional park. Because of the housing collapse you can almost name your price for a condo or house.
The editors, “Best Cities For Every Age”, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, September 2012
Photo: IABoomerFlickr (flickr)