As seen in the August 2008 issue of Money magazine and on the web at CNNMoney.com.

Chandler, AZ
Top 100 rank: 30
Population: 240,500

Feathered hats may not be the rage anymore, but Chandler’s annual Ostrich Festival certainly is: It’s the town’s nod to the ostrich farms that used to dot the area.

Today, technology has displaced feathers as big business here, with a major presence by computer chip maker Intel. And the second largest mall in the Phoenix area — the 180+ stores in the Chandler Fashion Center — is a shopper’s paradise.

On the downside, public transportation is weak: many local bus routes to Phoenix end a few miles outside of town.