Redmond rated nation's 5th best small city to live in
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REDMOND, Wash. -- The home of Microsoft has made an impressive showing in a survey of the nation's best small cities to live in.
Money Magazine just ranked the city as No. 5 on its list of top small cities in the country to live.
"It's a great place to raise kids," said resident Maryanne Elake. "I know in our neighborhood it feels like when I was growing up when all the kids are playing outside and wait for the ice cream man to come by in his truck."
Others say the climate also makes Redmond almost perfect.
"The limited amount of hot days, and if you get used to the rain, that's good too," said Brian Warris.
Money says Redmond's great schools, and low crime rate are some of the reasons the town is rated so high.
And of course, being home to Microsoft, the software giant brings in many new faces with diverse backgrounds.
"There are a lot cultures represented and our children are growing up with that experience, but yet we're not in the middle of a big city," Elake said.
Bellevue came in at No. 40. Those were the only two cities in Washington to make the list. (Note, the magazine alternates between ranking small cities and small towns each year. Three small towns in Washington (Mukilteo, Newcastle and Sammamish) made the Top 100 list in 2011, ranking in the top 20.)
See the entire list for 2012.
Money Magazine just ranked the city as No. 5 on its list of top small cities in the country to live.
"It's a great place to raise kids," said resident Maryanne Elake. "I know in our neighborhood it feels like when I was growing up when all the kids are playing outside and wait for the ice cream man to come by in his truck."
Others say the climate also makes Redmond almost perfect.
"The limited amount of hot days, and if you get used to the rain, that's good too," said Brian Warris.
Money says Redmond's great schools, and low crime rate are some of the reasons the town is rated so high.
And of course, being home to Microsoft, the software giant brings in many new faces with diverse backgrounds.
"There are a lot cultures represented and our children are growing up with that experience, but yet we're not in the middle of a big city," Elake said.
Bellevue came in at No. 40. Those were the only two cities in Washington to make the list. (Note, the magazine alternates between ranking small cities and small towns each year. Three small towns in Washington (Mukilteo, Newcastle and Sammamish) made the Top 100 list in 2011, ranking in the top 20.)
See the entire list for 2012.
"And of course, being home to Microsoft, the software giant brings in many new faces with diverse backgrounds."
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But wait, the people in Seattle don't want to hear this! They'd have to stop going on about how white the Eastside is.
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Caveat: You have to be okay with 9 months of dark, gray, wet, weather. I wish the magazines would be honest about this. I feel so sorry for people who move up here, after visiting in July or August, and think they've found paradise... only to see them move away in a few years because of the weather. Â There is no amount of "cute" that balances out the lack of sunshine here. Â Many people can handle it, but unless you grew up here, chances are huge that you will not make it more than a few years. Â If you're visiting and thinking of relocating? Spend a week in mid December, and a week or two in March, to see how it really is most of the year. Â The postcards you see, and the Chamber brochures feature pics from August. Period.Â
@DT yep. My parents moved here from Phoenix in 2004 after having lived there for 20 some years. My dad used to come up here on business and liked it, and eventually they live here. Now they hate the cold grey weather and want to move. I hate the cold and grey weather too; the summers are nice...when and if we get them.
@DT I grew up on the east coast and I love the typical Seattle weather. I will take the clouds and cool weather over east coast weather any day!
"Bellevue came in at No. 40. Those were the only two cities in Washington to make the list."
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Not really sure Bellevue can be considered a small city anymore. How many small cities have skyscrapers?
How can this be?  Look around Redmond, It there a tire swing or a clothes line, ... NO, then they shouid be disqualified  -- IMMEDIATELY!!!Â
Is that like the 5th best place for rich people? I mean come on...Money Magazine?
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What a dump. Can't stand the place or the eastside.Â
 @HallandOates Isn't it great not having a TD function anymore?
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And on a related note: Why does "Likes given to others" always equal "Likes received" minus 5?
Damn! you are absolutely right. I've been watching mine and my 'likes' change even if I havent given any recently. That's reallllllllly odd.
 @relatively Welcome to Microsoftville, I mean Redmond. High brow city!Â
 @HallandOates Well if you are in Seattle, can we blow the bridges?
 @pbs7mm Sweet! Raze them.Â
 @HallandOates Care to share why you think Redmond/Eastside is a dump? And maybe a few reason why you live where you do and where that is?
Usually it's standard-issue urban snobbery. Apparently it's trendy to hate the suburbs these days.
 @Vexorg That's exactly what it is. Usually it's cool to hate the burbs until you have kids and figure out how awful the schools in Seattle are. Then those kids grow up, move to Seattle to have fun in their early 20s. Then they marry, have kids, figure out how much the schools suck and move out. Rinse, repeat.