Best Places to Live:
1. Eden Prairie, Minn.
Population: 600,000
Unemployment: 5.1 percent
Median Age: 36.0

2. Columbia/Ellicott City, Md.
Population: 155,000
Unemployment: 5.2 percent
Median Age: 38.5 (Columbia), 39.8 (Ellicott City)

3. Newton, Mass.
Population: 82,000
Unemployment: 6.1 percent
Median Age: 41.3

4. Bellevue, Wash.
Population: 124,000
Unemployment: 5.8 percent
Median Age: 41.4

5. McKinney, Texas
Population: 125,000
Unemployment: 7.8 percent
Median Age: 31.8

6. Fort Collins, Colo.
Population: 141,000
Unemployment: 7.4 percent
Median Age: 29.1

7. Fishers, Ind.
Population: 69,000
Unemployment: 6.2 percent
Median Age: 29.8

8. Overland Park, Kan.
Population: 175,000
Unemployment: 5.3 percent
Median Age: 37.0

9. Ames, Iowa
Population: 60,000
Unemployment: 4.3 percent
Median Age: 26.2

10. Rogers, Ark.
Population: 57,000
Unemployment: 5.8 percent
Median Age: 31.2

**Best Places for the Rich and Single**
1. Newport Beach, Calif.
Population: 79,661
Single: 30 percent
Median Family Income: $144,917

2. Newton, Mass.
Population: 82,139
Single: 31.3 percent
Median Family Income: $138,070

3. Brookline, Mass.
Population: 57,929
Single: 42 percent
Median Family Income: $124,035

**Best Places to Buy an Affordable Home**
1. Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Median Home Price: $67,000
Median Family Income (Per Year): $56,519

2. Lafayette, Ind.
Median Home Price: $82,210
Median Family Income (Per Year): $60,643

3. San Antonio, Texas
Median Home Price: $78,627
Median Family Income (Per Year): $55,958

**Best Places to Live for Top-Earning Towns**
1. Bethesda, Md.
Population: 56,763
Median family income (per year): $172,541
Median home price: $725,000

2. Greenwich, Conn.
Population: 59,484
Median family income (per year): $164,807
Median home price: $997,498

3. Palo Alto, Calif.
Population: 60,089
Median family income (per year): $153,615
Median home price: $1,180,000

**Best Places to Live for Job Growth**
1. Lincoln County, S.D.
Towns Include: Sioux Falls (Top 100 Rank: 77)
Job Growth (2000-2009): 67.0 percent

2. Williamson County, Texas
Towns include: Cedar Park (Top 100 Rank: N/A), Round Rock (Top 100 Rank: N/A)
Job growth (2000-2009): 58.9 percent

3. Hays County, Texas
Towns include: San Marcos (Top 100 Rank: N/A)
Job growth (2000-2009): 56.4%