Money Magazine: Bellevue among top small cities to live in the country

Money Magazine has named Bellevue one of America’s best small cities for 2012, ranking it number 40 on its top 100 list. It’s the fourth straight time Bellevue has cracked the magazine’s list of top small cities.

August 21, 2012 2:08 pm
Bellevue has been on Money magazine's topo 100 cities in which to live for the fourth year in a row.
Bellevue has been on Money magazine's topo 100 cities in which to live for the fourth year in a row.

Money Magazine has named Bellevue one of America’s best small cities for 2012, ranking it number 40 on its top 100 list. It’s the fourth straight time Bellevue has cracked the magazine’s list of top small cities.

“Thanks to major local employers like Microsoft, Expedia, Coinstar and Puget Sound Energy, Bellevue has more employees than it has residents,” the magazine reports. “Luckily its students have an edge on the competitive corporate world, attending schools that are regularly ranked among the top in the state.”

Since 2006 Money has been doing a survey every other year of what it determines to be the best cities with a population between 50,000 and 300,000.  Bellevue has made the list every time, ranking No. 4 in 2010, No. 42 in 2008 and No. 21 in 2006.

Redmond finished fifth in the running due to its mix of small, eclectic shops mixed with condo development and important regional job centers. The top four cities in front of Redmond on this year’s list were Newton, Mass. in fourth, Eden Prairie, Minn. in third, McKinney, Texas in second and Carmel, Ind. topping the list at number one.