Austin Ranked Number 1 Most Livable City in the Country

According to a list recently released by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Austin was selected as the number one best city to live in for the next ten years. A number of factors were taken into consideration when developing this list, though the primary focus was placed on those cities that were considered to have the most positive business climates combined with the most unique “livability” appeal. According to the report, the capital city is “arguably the country’s best crucible for small business” the report goes on to say that “Austin has spawned many companies with unique twists that have gone nationwide.”

The great success of many businesses with their roots in Austin isn’t the only reason Austin took the number one position, however, as the magazine went on to list the capital city’s numerous music venues, parks and lakes as well as its innovative thinking and job-creation tendencies as other reasons for being the most livable city in the country.

“Creativity in music, arts and culture, plus neighborhoods and recreational facilities that rank high for ‘coolness,’ attract like-minded professionals who go on to cultivate a region’s business scene,” said Robert Frick, who is Senior Editor of Kiplinger.

The full top ten list includes:

•    Austin, Texas
•    Seattle, Washington
•    Washington, D.C.
•    Boulder, Colorado
•    Salt Lake City, Utah
•    Rochester, Minnesota
•    Des Moines, Iowa
•    Burlington, Vermont
•    West Hartford, Connecticut
•    Topeka, Kansas

This isn’t the only recent honor that Austin has earned in terms of being a great place to live and to have a business. In fact, Forbes.com also recently listed the capital city as the second “most innovative” city in the country, while the American College of Sports Medicine listed it as the tenth most fit city in the country and Portfolio.com listed it as having the ninth best quality of life.