Best Cities to Move to in America

What people are looking for when they relocate changes from time to time. In the '90s, it was a city with low crime. Then, it was places with good schools.

"These days, you want a job and to make sure you can get a house there," said Bert Sperling of BestPlaces.net, which helps people find the best places to live, work or retire.

Sperling crunched the numbers to find the 10 best cities to relocate to today. The list takes into consideration all kinds of data points, from cost of living to crime rates, the number of colleges and how healthy the population is, as well as access to museums, shows, sporting and other events. Plus, one you might not think of: stability.

"We're a big believer in the concept of stability, where there is modest, controllable growth," Sperling explained. "Big booms lead to disruption, and ultimately big busts. Neither is good for livability."

Here are Sperling's "Best Cities to Relocate to in America" -- and why they're the best and who's hiring there.

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1. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, like Buffalo, has also made a major transformation from an industrial town -- in Pittsburgh's case, steel -- into the 21st century as a hub for education, health care and the arts.

Yet, it's still surprisingly affordable: The cost of living is 12.2 percent below the national average and the average home price is $116,400, well below the national average of $171,700.

It's repeatedly ranked as one of the most livable cities: The crime rate is low, it ranks high on both arts and colleges, and it's at low risk for a natural disaster such as an earthquake, hurricane or tornado.

It's also repeatedly ranked as one of the best sports cities, with the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. You would be hard-pressed to find a city with more loyal sports fans -- a fact that should not be underestimated when it comes to quality of life.

The unemployment rate is 7.8 percent, well below the national average of 10.2 percent. Indeed.com has named it the No. 18 job market, with two applicants for every job available.

Companies that are hiring now: HCR ManorCare, BNY Mellon, PNC Bank, Ernst & Young and Westinghouse Electric Company, according to Indeed.com.

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2. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Buffalo is an older, industrial city that has "gone through a sort of gut-wrenching transition into the 21st century," Sperling says. And now that it's gotten over the bumps, it's a great place to live.

The Buffalo-Niagara Falls area has a growing arts scene and it's affordable: The cost of living is 14.4 percent below the national average, and the average home price is $119,700, well below the national average of $171,700.

There are more than 20 parks in Buffalo, earning it the nickname, "City of Trees," and for all you sports fans, it's home of the Buffalo Bills football team and Buffalo Sabres hockey team. As for Niagara Falls, the city has moved from an industrial center to a more sustainable tourism-based economy, and with the opening of the Conference Center Niagara Falls a few years ago, it now attracts more business travelers.

The unemployment rate in the region is 8.3 percent, below the national average. Health care and education are the fastest growing industries here.

Companies that are hiring now: Synacor, M&T Bank, Kaleida Health and HSBC Bank, according to Indeed.com.

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3. Omaha, Neb./Council Bluffs, Iowa

Omaha is a great example of a city that's avoided the booms and busts, ranking high on stability.

Could its slow but steady growth be the influence of one of its most famous residents, the richest man in the world, Warren Buffett? The Oracle of Omaha, as he's known, made his money based on the motto "invest in what you know" -- not getting sucked into the next big boom.

Quite possibly, Sperling said. Perhaps the bigger impact, though, is that Buffett keeps Omaha in the news, which makes it easier to attract big companies there. Today, there are five Fortune 500 companies headquartered there, including ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Corporation, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit and Sons, and Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Plus, it's affordable: the area's cost of living is 12.4 percent below the national average.

The average price of a home is $137,600, well below the national average of $171,700.

The unemployment rate is 4.7 percent, less than half the national average of 10.2 percent.

Companies that are hiring now: ConAgra Foods, Creighton University Medical Center, TD Ameritrade and Soliant Health, according to Indeed.com.

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4. Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

"Fort Worth is like the Rodney Dangerfield of the Dallas-Fort Worth area -- it gets no respect!" Sperling quipped.

But those who live in Fort Worth know the secret: It's close enough to Dallas that you get all of the amenities of a world-class city, from shopping to cultural events, but it's cheaper. The average home price is about $119,300, well below the national average of $171,700. Plus, the cost of living is nearly 14 percent cheaper than the national average.

It has a growing arts & culture scene, including an orchestra, ballet, opera, botanical garden and one of the best zoos in the country. In fact, the city has started billing itself as the "City of Cowboys and Culture."

Arlington is home to the Dallas Cowboys football team, the Texas Rangers baseball team, as well as American Mensa, the U.S. chapter of the high-IQ society, and the International Bowling Museum.

The unemployment rate in the area is 8.3 percent, below the national average of 10.2 percent.

Companies that are hiring now: Texas Health Resources, JPS Health Network and Bank of America, according to Indeed.com.

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5. Austin-Round Rock, Texas

Austin-Round Rock ranks high on quality of life and affordability: It has at least a dozen colleges and was voted the No. 1 college town by the Travel Channel. The cost of living is 2.4 percent below the national average.

But what sets it apart is its quirk. The city has been described as a "crazy quilt," stitching together everything from art, improv and country music to environmentalism and high tech. It's home to the South by Southwest festival, featuring independent musicians and filmmakers and emerging technologies. Though, its quirky rep has been around awhile, spawning a new slogan, "Keep Austin Weird."

Round Rock is its conservative counterpart, known for its outstanding education system and as the headquarters of Dell Computers.

The unemployment rate in the area is 6.5 percent, well below the U.S. average of 10.2 percent. It's the No. 10 job market, according to Indeed.com, with two applicants for every job opening.

Companies that are hiring now: Dell, Seton Family of Hospitals, Soliant Health and AT&T, according to Indeed.com.

Click here to see the full list of Best Cities to Move to in America

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