Money magazine seems to like Cary as it has named the town to its list of best places to live for the third time in four years.
In the new list in Money's August issue, Cary ranks 16th. The only other North Carolina city in the top 100 is Chapel Hill at 65th.
There is an education connection to this post.
Two months ago, I got a call from Money asking for information about schools in Cary. The writer wanted to know more about some of the controversies that have hit schools in town.
For this year's list, Money only chose cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000.
On the 2007 list, Apex came in 14th and Holly Springs was ranked 22nd. Only cities with fewer than 50,000 people were looked at that year.
On the 2006 list, Cary ranked fifth. In the separate big cities list, Raleigh was ranked fourth.
In 2005, Cary was ranked 34th.
Rankings like this are coveted by many cities.
Comments
Good ole Lori ...
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 13:28 — g88ky07Regarding the jacking of the parking fees,
Lori Millberg stately VERY clearly it's the CC's fault the rates have to be hiked because "WE DIDN'T GET THE FUNDING WE NEED"
ANOTHER talking point come bond time!!!
Well guess what boo hoo Lori Millberg,
YOU STILL AIN'T GETTIN' THE BOND PASSED!!!!!
AS far as Cary and its rankings, don't you just want to laugh at the dummies moving here! They'll never know what hit them until they've been here too long to do a thing about it and then THEY TOO will get sucked down the public no-education, bond lying, the kids are falling waaaaay behind sewer system!!!!!!!
NO BOND LORI,
N O N E!!!
It's all hype
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:32 — kmisegadesI wouldn't be at all surprised if Cary places ads in Money to get these ridiculous ratings. They are all subjective anyway. Cary is not Camelot. Sure it's a nice place to live, but who ever heard of choosing where to live based on a magazine's goofy list? Maybe the folks who are influenced by such things ought to wonder why they are eager to leave their current homes. Maybe they should put down some roots and try improving their community instead of running to the next green pasture. I lived by coincidence in another Camelot years ago, Eagan, MN, which also ranked high on these lists. It is all contrived by an industry that feeds off of hype and bloated real estate markets.
Which is it?
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 11:00 — Dadof3Kent: on the one hand, you say; "pull your kids out of failing public schools" a sentiment I'm partial to, but for many reasons can't do. Here, however, you state a diametric opinion: "put down roots and try to improve [things]" another sentiment I agree with.
So, which is it? There are times you fight, and others, you move on. If anyone moved here solely based on a single input, namely, Money, then yea, there's other concerns. But, on the whole, that's a strawman, not a mainstream situation.
It's only a magazine; nothing more or less.
best for what?
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 19:32 — JustWonderingWhen Mother Jones magazine puts out its rankings, let me know.
OT alert
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 18:32 — bigwinniehttp://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3258561/
Posted: Today at 5:14 p.m.
Updated: 59 minutes ago
Raleigh, N.C. — High school students in Wake County will have to pay more this year for the privilege of driving to school.
Parking permit fees are going from $120 to $170 at area schools – the first increase in eight years – prompting complaints from some students and parents.
"My response is why is this costing $50 more?" parent Jon Durst said.
Durst said his daughter, a senior at Athens Drive High School, has to drive almost daily because of her after-school activities.
"Whether it's practice or an SAT study course in Raleigh, the bus isn't an option," he said.
School board members said they needed the extra revenue from higher parking fees to offset less-than-desired funding from the county and rising diesel fuel costs that won't be picked up by the state.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners approved a $19 million increase in funding to the county school district for the coming year, but that was about $36 million less than what the school board requested.
"If we didn't have a budget shortfall, we wouldn't have to do this," school board member Beverley Clark said. "When we looked at it, we realized the fee hadn't been raised in a very long time."
The board backed away from a decision three years ago to double the parking fee when students complained.
Durst said he feels the increase still goes too far.
"I still don't understand the $50. Maybe $25, maybe I could've swallowed that," he said.
The district last increased the fee from $100 to $120 inthe 2000-01 school year. Even the old fee was much higher than nearby school districts.
Durham Public Schools charges $75 a year, while fees in Cumberland County range from $10 to $60. Franklin County offered students the best deal – as low as $2 a year – while fees at Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools were $100 a year.
North Carolina State University also charges its commuting students less than Wake County schools, with a basic permit costing $99 a year.
Revenue from Wake County's school parking permits traditionally has been used for school security, but officials said the money generated by the fee increase will go into the district's general fund.
Clark said she hopes students who can carpool or ride the bus will do so.
Reporter: Kelcey Carlson
Photographer: Edward Wilson
Web Editor: Matthew Burns
I share your thoughts
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 10:30 — shearertwBW,
I too wonder how those topics were portreyed. Keung, please shed some more light on whether those topics were discussed and how the light was shed.
and how many "Caryites"
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 10:26 — bigwinnieand how many "Caryites" actually go to WCPSS as opposed to private and/or homeschoolers?
and I'm sure the lawsuit and MYR were given to Money as "hot topics", and reassignments at whim? calendar changes? falling test scores? rising drop-out rates? I'm sure that all came up...oh but Green Hope is in Cary right, they were one of the five high schools that did do well, yes?
Did you say?
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 09:32 — shearertwKeung,
Did you say, there are no public schools in Cary, there are only public schools in Wake Co.? Remember, according to Ms. Gill, the schools in Cary belong to Wake Co. and are subject to all their (the BoE) whims and notions. In fact, it's quite possible that one day, no children living in Cary will actually attend the schools located there.
It's flattering to you that
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 09:24 — Anonymous (not verified)It's flattering to you that they'd call, but can't Money do its own reporting? It makes you wonder about the validity of these sorts of rankings.