Where to Live Now
Boost your salary! Have more sex! Live longer! Here are
10 cities that will change your life
By Richard Sine, Map by L-Dopa
1) San Francisco, CA
Moody’s housing appreciation estimate: 0.9%
MHL lifestyle rank: 10
Each year, millions of tourists walk streets lined with enchanting Victorian homes, watch the fog roll across the Golden Gate Bridge, and sip Irish coffees as the sun sets over the ocean, turning this alabaster city into gold. Then they share this thought: Where could I find the money to live here?
It’s no wonder housing prices in San Francisco haven’t dropped nearly as much as they have in other major cities over the past few years. It’s also easy to see why they’ll rebound faster here as well. With hip and brainy locals and a boundless cultural scene, San Francisco earns the #1 spot on this year’s list.
2) San Diego, CA
Moody’s housing appreciation estimate: 1.1%
MHL lifestyle rank: 30
Once a sleepy navy town supported by a thriving red-light district, San Diego is now more like a Disneyland for grown-ups. There’s Beachland, with its 70 miles of coastline, boardwalks, and surf spots; Familyland, with its world-famous zoo and SeaWorld; and Hipsterland, the redeveloped Gaslamp Quarter, with its hopping nightclub scene. With neighborhoods ranging from laid-back Coronado to chichi La Jolla, there’s something here for everyone.
San Diego boasts a low crime rate and an educated workforce attracted to jobs in health care and biotech, not to mention perfect weather. San Diego’s housing market was the first in California to falter, so it should be the first to stabilize, reports Moody’s analyst Steven Cochrane. San Diego is also one of the nation’s only markets where condo prices are expected to increase in 2009.
3) Minneapolis, MN
Moody’s housing appreciation estimate: 0.9%
MHL lifestyle rank: 22
Minneapolis is the next Silicon Valley. Or maybe it’s vice versa. There are so many high-tech companies here, so many smart people, and so much medical R&D going on that Popular Science ranked it the country’s Top Tech City in 2005. And yes, San Francisco, Seattle, and the rest were all in the running.
All those techie geniuses escape the frigid winters by scurrying around downtown in an 8-mile series of sealed, second-floor bridges known as the Minneapolis Skyway. When the weather warms up, they can run or bike along the Chain of Lakes—more than 50 miles of green space encircling the city. With at least 20 lakes and the Mississippi River all within the city limits, waterfront property is easy to find. There are also dozens of museums, a vibrant theater scene, and plenty of indoor sports action at the Metrodome and Target Center.
4) Sioux Falls, SD
Moody’s housing appreciation estimate: 0.7%
MHL lifestyle rank: 3
We’re in a recession? No one got the memo in Sioux Falls, which recently hit #1 on Forbes’ list of the best small places for business. Unemployment rates are low, even as the population continues to rise. New residents don’t come seeking jobs in farming, but in financial services and health care.
Having missed out on the housing boom, Sioux Falls also missed the housing bust, Moody’s reports. That’s not to suggest that the city is isolated culturally. It has a great symphony orchestra, playhouses, and dance companies. The 2-day JazzFest in July draws nearly 100,000 concertgoers. If you can stand the chilly weather, you’ll be rewarded with clean air, clean water, and safe streets. Some nice-looking falls, too.
5) Anchorage, AK
Moody’s housing appreciation estimate: 0.9%
MHL lifestyle rank: 29
Anchorage is the base camp for America’s last true frontier. Bears and bald eagles are easy to spot within the city limits, and moose are so common they’re considered pests. The city itself offers an intriguing balance of wilderness and civilization: As the mayor once observed, it’s the only place in the country where you can catch a 50-pound king salmon, dine at a five-star restaurant, and attend a Broadway play, all without leaving downtown.
Alaska’s economy is thriving, too, thanks to the oil and transportation industries, as well as the military. Average incomes here are among the highest in the nation. Heck, the state pays you to live here: Each resident gets a piece of oil profits each year (more than $3,000 in 2008).
Everyone in Anchorage seems to ski, skate, snowboard, or kayak—sometimes all four—and there’s a surprisingly high ratio of fitness facilities per person. Sure, the weird seasonal patterns can play with your head, but no one complains: In the summer, locals hike, golf, and run under the midnight sun.
Find the cities that ranked 6-10...
