Chapel Hill ranks 10th among the top 100 "Best Places to Live in America" based on a survey of cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 by Money magazine.
"Chapel Hill is an incredibly unique place to live," Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said in a new release today. "Our town is in constant motion with new ideas and trend setters. We are thrilled with our ranking and thank Money Magazine for the recognition."
Money looked at housing affordability, education, arts and culture, safety, health care, diversity and the economy, including the fiscal strength of the government.
Here's how Money describes Chapel Hill:
"Locals aren't exaggerating when they refer to Chapel Hill as a "town within a park." The roads wind through tunnels of arching trees, and the area has a rain forest-like charm. But Chapel Hill isn't just a pretty face. It's part of the state's Research Triangle, which boasts one of the highest numbers of Ph.D.s per capita in the U.S. The town also houses the nation's oldest public university, and interesting educational opportunities abound."
Arching trees? Check. Ph.D.'s? Check. But "rain forest like-charm"? ... Hmmm ... Not unless they're talking kudzu along MLK Boulevard or the stiltgrass taking over my neighborhood. (By the way, anybody got a sure-fire way to keep that stuff out?)
Here is Money's Top 10:
1. Carmel, IN
2. McKinney, TX
3. Eden Prairie, MN
4. Newton, MA
5. Redmond, WA
6. Irvine, CA
7. Reston, VA
8. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD
9. Overland Park, KS
and
10. Chapel Hill, NC
