Salt Lake City is an innovate kind of place and one of the ten best for the next decade according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. SLC made came in number five just behind Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C. and Boulder, CO.
Kiplinger’s has high praise for Utah’s Capital City: “Home to the University of Utah, internationally recognized for its research in genetics and health sciences, Salt Lake City is a hotbed of new-business creation. Plus, the local talent pool is tops for its technical knowledge and outstanding work ethic. Utah’s relatively low wages, taxes, and operating costs create an ideal haven to run a business—and you can’t beat the easy access to myriad ski resorts.”
This year’s picks are profiled in the July issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, on newsstands June 8, and online with additional interactive features.
To identify the winners, Kiplinger’s teamed up with Kevin Stolarick, research director at the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think tank that studies economic prosperity.
“New ideas generate new businesses,” says Stolarick, who this year evaluated U.S. cities for growth and growth potential. “In the places where innovation works, it really works. People in fields such as science, engineering, architecture, and education are catalysts of vitality and livability in a city.”
“It’s no coincidence that economic vitality and livability go hand in hand,” says Kiplinger’s senior editor Robert Frick. “Creativity in music, arts and culture, plus neighborhoods and recreational facilities that rank high for ‘coolness,’ attract like-minded professionals who go on to cultivate a region’s business scene. All of these factors make our 2010 Best Cities more than just great places to live. They’re also great places to start a business or find a job.”
Kiplinger’s Best Cities of 2010:
1. Austin, TX
2. Seattle, WA
3. Washington, DC
4. Boulder, CO
6. Rochester, MN
7. Des Moines, IA
8. Burlington, VT
9. West Hartford, CT
10. Topeka, KS
The new vision for Salt Lake City encompasses ideas large and small, bold and restrained - for shaping downtown's future. 