Here in Raleigh we’ve gotten used to being named to “best places to live” lists. Not to brag, but it seems to happen all the time. We’re always one of the best places to live for one reason or another. But in the space of a week we’ve added some pretty cool new feathers to our cap.
First a Wall Street Journal report named us to the top ten of their list of “hottest, hippest destinations” for young people looking for a place to live. The report predicts that when the economy recovers, our area will be a “youth magnet,” attracting residents 18-29 because of our relatively low cost of living and highly-educated citizens. And lots of fresh, ambitious, educated young people moving in can provide a big boost to our cultural scene, our economy, and our labor market.
And speaking of our highly-educated citizens, we landed in the top spot on the list of Smartest American Cities by The Daily Beast website, which the Raleigh News & Observer calls a “major news-and-opinion website.” Their criteria included the percentage of residents with bachelor’s and graduate degrees, nonfiction book sales, and voter turnout figures. And so we’re the smartest. Smarter than the folks in San Francisco, Boston, New York City–well, you get the picture.
Smart and hip. That’s a great combination. We knew it all along.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
You can read the full reports here: http://online.wsj.comarticleSB10001424052748703787204574442912720525316.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-04/americas-smartest-cities—from-first-to-worst?cmpid=p_yahoo