Top 10 Best Cities to Live in For 2010

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According to an article published in Kiplinger, the future is looking bright for those who find themselves living in certain cities around the United States.

Sure, the economy might’ve bombed, and people might have lost their jobs, but even if you have to relocate, it’s not the end of the world. As Kiplinger points out, the following cities are not only prospering during these tough economic times, but they’re also offering folks an excellent second chance at earning a living.

2010 Top 10 Best Cities to Live in

1. Austin, Tex. is a great place to live for small business owners, with tons of community programs. It’s also a great area to enjoy some downtime with the city’s famous South by Southwest festival
2. Seattle, Wash. If you can get used to the rain, Seattle offers a well-educated workforce, a world-class research university and tons of creative energy.
3. Washington, D.C. We all know and love Washington D.C. for its museums and history. However, this area offers far much more to budding entrepreneurs with great entertainment, neighborhoods and job prospects.
4. Boulder, Colo. This area is a mecca for those seeking healthy, active lifestyles. Not to mention, Boulder is a renowned intelectual hub with the University of Colorado, federal research laboratories and over 6,000 small businesses and corporations.
5. Salt Lake City, Utah This area has a phenomenal cost of living with low wages, taxes and operating costs. It also offers a variety of unique and friendly neighborhoods to give the area a small-town feel.
6. Rochester, Minn. With close to 3 million visitors each year, Rochester is known for the Mayo Clinic but also opened the Minnesota BioBusiness Center in 2009. The center is just one representation of the city’s intentions to build an even stronger bioscience and medical-research community, which means that there will be more jobs available in the foreseeable future.
7. Des Moines, Iowa When most people think of jobs, they probably don’t think about Iowa. However, there is more to Iowa than farms. The low cost of realty, short commute times to work and family feel are a big draw for many who are seeking jobs.
8. Burlington, Vt. Talk about environmentally friendly! Burlington has much in the way of eco-friendly living  from Co-Ops to solar powered energy to family owned farmland that provides a decent percentage of the town’s food. This is a great place to live, work and be healthy.
9. West Hartford, Conn. West Hartford offers a small town atmosphere with the addition of great dining and shopping.
10. Topeka, Kan. Nearly 25% of Topeka’s work force is employed by the government, which equates to a more stable job market. Additionally, the area touts quality education, hospitals and low housing costs.

(Kiplinger via Yahoo)