Now more than ever, it’s important to get the best bang for your buck. And there’s no question about it — when it comes to value, not every U.S. city is created equally.
Why chase a great salary if your rent swallows most of it, unemployment is skyrocketing and you spend two hours a day just to get to and from work?
So, which cities offer the most overall value in 2009?
Only the top 25 have made the list — and some may surprise you! After examining various city lists, weighing the rankings and taking note of our personal opinions, we’ve produced a list of cities that’s sure to offer something for everyone. While all of these communities have a healthy art and design community the emphasis on this list is the cost of living.
Our Criteria
We looked at cities' growth rates, average salaries and costs of living.
We factored in average commute time — which, according to experts, has a colossal impact on your overall happiness.
We looked not only at unemployment figures, but also at the rate that unemployment has actually increased since February 2008.
Thinking of relocating for better job prospects? Need to compare two top contenders? Just curious to see where your city ranks? We’ve got you covered. Read on!
#1. Austin, TX
Population: 743,074
Average Salary: $41,330
Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 51
Average Commute Time: 21.9 minutes
Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 6
Unemployment Rate: 6.3
Austin tops our list with robust projected job growth and one of the lowest changes in unemployment rate since the onset of the recession. The city has enjoyed a recent explosion of high-tech entrepreneurism, and its two largest employers — the state government and the University of Texas — are expected to add a couple thousand jobs this year. A “best cities” list veteran, Austin’s our top pick!
I've seen Austin ranked pretty high in regards to being a good city for designers before. Which is great for me because I'd love moving back there sometime in the future. Probably not right away, but Austin is definitely somewhere I'd love to live long term. I never realized I'd miss it this much!
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