Top 10 Dream Towns

Stevens Point Recognized as one of the Top 10 Dreamtowns
In an article titled, "Dreamtowns that offer refuge from big cities and congested suburbs," Bizjournals says many residents of big cities and inner-ring suburbs would prefer to live on the suburban fringe or in small-town America. The best place for them to go, according to Bizjournals, is found in their analysis of 140 micropolitan areas which identifies America's 10 dreamtowns, "the small towns that offer the best quality of life without metropolitan hassles."

Bizjournals compared 140 micropolitan areas in 20 statistical categories, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. A micropolitan area, they say, consists of a central community with 10,000 to 50,000 residents, and the surrounding countryside. "It is, in effect, a small-scale version of a metropolitan area."

The study was inspired by heavy public interest in small-town life. Its aim was to identify communities that would be most attractive to people considering moving to such a place. The highest scores went to "well-rounded places with light traffic, healthy economies, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks, strong educational systems, and easy access to big-city attractions."

Stevens Point was listed in the Top 10 out of the 140 areas studied. The Bizjournals profile of Stevens Point says, "This is easily the most affordable of America's 10 dreamtowns. The cost of a typical home is $28,500 lower in Stevens Point than in Mankato, the second-cheapest place on this elite list. Other pluses in Stevens Point are short commutes, strong schools and a sizable stock of big houses."