As seen in the August 2008 issue of Money magazine and on the web at CNNMoney.com.
Ames, IA
Top 100 rank: 53
Population: 51,500
Home of Iowa State University, Ames wears its college town moniker with pride.
A trip to the Campustown neighborhood offers equal parts Café Beaudelaire and Varsity Theater. Just south of the stadium is an Iowa favorite: the 14-acre Reiman Gardens, home to exotic tropical plants and butterflies from around the world.
The perks of living here are palpable: Scotch tape manufacturer 3M and pasta producer Barilla are presences here, and the local transit system, Cy-ride, makes it easy to get around.