..And Third Place Goes To...

Yesterday we heard the news that Naperville has again been voted the third best place live in the United States by Money Magazine. This wasn’t exactly a surprise. After all, you don’t move half way across the world without doing a bit of research first. We already knew it had won the same accolade in 2005. In 2006 it came in second. Last year, it came nowhere, but I like to think this is because they changed the rules for a year, not because of our arrival!
So what makes Naperville so special, aside from the fact you can accidentally leave valuables on top of your car in a parking lot and expect to find them still there on your return?
According to Money Magazine, it’s because Naperville reflects Midwestern values in a small city that is 30 minutes from a vibrant metropolis. It has a low cost of living, rising incomes and job growth. It has above average schools and an excellent library.
Having moved here from London, I would rate Naperville highly for different reasons.
1. Parking is a dream. Although locals complain about parking in the centre of town, they obviously haven’t lived in a major city. I will never get over the joy of parking directly outside the bank or being able to park at the shopping mall after 10 a.m., and it’s all free.
2. You can walk past complete strangers in the street and they will greet you with a cheery “good morning” or “hallo”. Even teenagers.
3. Even in a comparatively small downtown area, we have three Starbucks and two ice cream parlours.
4. Naperville is an almost Utopian society. The town actually looks like it has been carefully planned to make it an enjoyable place to live with lots for everyone to do.
5. Wherever you travel, there is nowhere quite like home.

Of course I haven't been to numbers 1 and 2 on the list, so I suppose I should really visit Plymouth, Minnesota and Fort Collins, Colorado, before deciding to settle here for good, although Grumpy's commute to work may be a little tricky...