Forbes Most Livable Cities List

[JollyMon66]

Forbes.com has published their annual list of “most livable cities” or metropolitan statistical areas. Great job Harrisburg PA for making the cut at number 5 and congrats to Pittsburgh PA for being #1.

Here is the ranking:

Tie for 9th – Lincoln, NE and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
8th – Trenton-Ewing, NJ
7th – Manchester-Nashua, NH
6th – Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
5th – Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
4th – Ann Arbor, MI
3rd – Provo-Orem, UT
2nd – Ogden, UT
1st – Pittsburgh, PA (Go Eagles! )

[Carolinadreamin']

But......but.......it snows in most of these places........

[Skibo]

#8 Trenton-Ewing?

This really makes me question their standards. Yay for Pittsburgh though, it really is a great place.

[popcornjack]

Ummm, it's the Steelers that are from Pittsburgh. The Eagles are from Philly, other side of the state. And having lived in the area, even though they may be next to each other, the combination of Bridgeport with Stamford and Norwalk makes me think of the old song "One of these things is not like the others"

[flyboy55]

To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics. We eliminated areas with populations smaller than 500,000 and assigned points to the remaining metro regions across five data sets: Five-year income growth per household and cost of living from Moody's Economy.com, crime data and leisure index from Sperling's Best Places, and annual unemployment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I know they had to draw the line somewhere, but in my opinion by looking only at large metropolitan areas Forbes probably missed out on all of the Best Places to live even using their five quality of life measures.

But then I guess they would have had to call their list "Most Livable Places" instead of "Most Livable Cities".

Another nit I have to pick with Forbes: how much driving around does one have to do to enjoy these livable cities? Do you have to drive 20 minutes to buy a quart of milk? What about the drive to work? Is the freeway a parking lot from 6 am to 10 am? These factors which have a large impact on quality of life aren't assessed in the Forbes study. I guess folks will have different ideas of what "most livable" means to them.

In my mind, "livable" means I know most of the people who live on my street by name and see them at least every week if not every other day which means I live in a 'real' community, I can walk to the grocery store to pick up a few items - I don't have to drive, I don't have to have things under lock and key in my yard to prevent them from "walking away" at night, etc.

Here's to small towns and those who love them.

[big john]

It's nice to live somewhere between Harrisburg and Carlisle, as long as you
don't live IN Harrisburg or Carlisle.

[C-Dawg]

Where I live in Vermont (Burlington area) is voted a top place to live annually by a lot of different magazines like Parenting, Outdoor, Men's Health etc, but I'm not surprised we didn't make the Forbes list....one, we have less than 500,000 people (Vt as a state barely has 500,000 people) and it costs an arm and a leg to live here. Our state government is running businesses away with all their taxes, and it's getting to the point I can't wait to leave.....only 5 more years til the kids are out of college. UGH

[blackjack]

#8 Trenton-Ewing?

This really makes me question their standards. Yay for Pittsburgh though, it really is a great place.

Yup. The Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings and many other gangs have overwhelmed Trenton. I work here and would hardly call it "most livable". (Ewing's not too bad though.)

Go Pittsburgh!!!

[JollyMon66]

It's nice to live somewhere between Harrisburg and Carlisle, as long as you
don't live IN Harrisburg or Carlisle.

Big John I heard that

This is a bit misleading since there is a HUGE gap between living in Harrisburg city, on the West Shore of Harrisburg, rural Cumberland County, or in the town of Carlise. To Flyboy's post about quality of life - traffic - etc.....Forbes never sat in traffic on the south bridge or waiting for an accident to clear at the 581 split. As a matter of fact I don't think they knew that the city of Harrisburg took over the city school for under performance......

[JollyMon66]

To form our list, we looked at quality of life measures in the nation's largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics. We eliminated areas with populations smaller than 500,000 and assigned points to the remaining metro regions across five data sets: Five-year income growth per household and cost of living from Moody's Economy.com, crime data and leisure index from Sperling's Best Places, and annual unemployment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I know they had to draw the line somewhere, but in my opinion by looking only at large metropolitan areas Forbes probably missed out on all of the Best Places to live even using their five quality of life measures.

But then I guess they would have had to call their list "Most Livable Places" instead of "Most Livable Cities".

Another nit I have to pick with Forbes: how much driving around does one have to do to enjoy these livable cities? Do you have to drive 20 minutes to buy a quart of milk? What about the drive to work? Is the freeway a parking lot from 6 am to 10 am? These factors which have a large impact on quality of life aren't assessed in the Forbes study. I guess folks will have different ideas of what "most livable" means to them.

In my mind, "livable" means I know most of the people who live on my street by name and see them at least every week if not every other day which means I live in a 'real' community, I can walk to the grocery store to pick up a few items - I don't have to drive, I don't have to have things under lock and key in my yard to prevent them from "walking away" at night, etc.

Here's to small towns and those who love them.

Amen

[pbans]

Well, no wonder I'm so happy.....I've lived in #3 (and would argue the ranking, but whatever) and currently live in #2!

I actually love living in the Ogden area.....we're 20 minutes from the most beautiful mountain lakes...lots of history....has pretty much everything you could need within a 20 mile radius....and really, no traffic to speak of.

that's awesome and makes me proud!

[big john]

It's nice to live somewhere between Harrisburg and Carlisle, as long as you
don't live IN Harrisburg or Carlisle.

Big John I heard that

This is a bit misleading since there is a HUGE gap between living in Harrisburg city, on the West Shore of Harrisburg, rural Cumberland County, or in the town of Carlise. To Flyboy's post about quality of life - traffic - etc.....Forbes never sat in traffic on the south bridge or waiting for an accident to clear at the 581 split. As a matter of fact I don't think they knew that the city of Harrisburg took over the city school for under performance......

Just wait until the current mayor of Harrisburg gets done. "Hazz-bugg" will be back in the
bottom 10.

[Snowparrot]

I live in Ottawa, Canada's capital, which just made Number One on a list of best cities.... and I'm glad to be here.

[The Remittance Man]

7th – Manchester-Nashua, NH

WHAT?!!

I'm from Manchester. My current location tells you all you need to know about that.

[CindaBee]

Forbes.com has published their annual list of “most livable cities” or metropolitan statistical areas. Great job Harrisburg PA for making the cut at number 5 and congrats to Pittsburgh PA for being #1.

Here is the ranking:

Tie for 9th – Lincoln, NE and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
8th – Trenton-Ewing, NJ
7th – Manchester-Nashua, NH
6th – Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
5th – Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
4th – Ann Arbor, MI
3rd – Provo-Orem, UT
2nd – Ogden, UT
1st – Pittsburgh, PA (Go Eagles! )

Not a native, but a "near-byer" and have raved about Pitt for over 30 years. My favorite daytrip or weekend get-a-way city. Congrats (Karat and others)

[chippewa]

In Forbes' Best Small Places For Business And Careers list there are 184 cities listed.
I live in #184.


they're right

[backstreets77]

It's nice to live somewhere between Harrisburg and Carlisle, as long as you
don't live IN Harrisburg or Carlisle.

Big John I heard that

This is a bit misleading since there is a HUGE gap between living in Harrisburg city, on the West Shore of Harrisburg, rural Cumberland County, or in the town of Carlise. To Flyboy's post about quality of life - traffic - etc.....Forbes never sat in traffic on the south bridge or waiting for an accident to clear at the 581 split. As a matter of fact I don't think they knew that the city of Harrisburg took over the city school for under performance......

Just wait until the current mayor of Harrisburg gets done. "Hazz-bugg" will be back in the
bottom 10.

Why wait shes pretty damn close to destroying it. But of course its all former Mayor Steve Reeds fault. Not the fact she couldnt run her own enterprises or just talked a good game on council. She sinking the Burg like she sunk her own Loveship.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

Their first mistake is putting the words "livable" and "city" in the same sentence.

[JollyMon66]

Their first mistake is putting the words "livable" and "city" in the same sentence.

[karat]

Forbes.com has published their annual list of “most livable cities” or metropolitan statistical areas. Great job Harrisburg PA for making the cut at number 5 and congrats to Pittsburgh PA for being #1.

Here is the ranking:

Tie for 9th – Lincoln, NE and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
8th – Trenton-Ewing, NJ
7th – Manchester-Nashua, NH
6th – Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
5th – Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
4th – Ann Arbor, MI
3rd – Provo-Orem, UT
2nd – Ogden, UT
1st – Pittsburgh, PA (GO PENS! )

i HAD TO CORRECT THAT