NEW YORK - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Money magazine announced today that Plymouth, Minnesota, wins the No. 1 spot on this year’s list of America’s Best Places to Live, its annual ranking of America’s most livable cities. Plymouth was followed by (2) Fort Collins, CO, (3) Naperville, IL, (4) Irvine, CA, (5) Franklin Township, NJ (6) Norman, OK, (7) Round Rock, TX, (8) Columbia / Ellicott City, MD, (9) Overland Park, KS, and (10) Fishers, IN.

“This year’s number one MONEY Best Place to Live reflects robust Midwestern values in a small city that is 30 minutes from a vibrant metropolis, with a low cost of living, rising incomes, and job growth,” said MONEY managing editor, Eric Schürenberg. “It’s simply a great place to raise a family, join a community, and build a rich life.”

Profiles of the top 10 and a full list of the top 100 are now available online at: www.CNNMoney.com / bestplaces and will appear in the August issue of MONEY, on newsstands July 21st

Online, Best Places goes deeper, with full profiles of the top 100 small cities, a video tour of the top 3 places; detailed statistics on real estate, schools, income, weather, crime, quality of life, and more on 1800 more Best Places cities in the database, a screening tool to find your best place to live, and slideshows revealing the top 25 places to ride out a gas crunch, as well as those with the most singles, the most affordable homes, highest incomes, and additional information to understand the rankings. Users can also check out maps highlighting homes for sale, top employers, museums, colleges, and other points of interest in 1800-more cities, compare their favorite city against the magazine’s 10 winners, and sound off about the picks and their favorite places on the Best Places talkback blog.

Using statistics from data provider and OnBoard consultant Bert Sperling of BestPlaces.net, MONEY Boinc the numbers in order to zero in on America’s best small cities for families bedrock which exhibit the requirements of good jobs, a healthy local economy, and a real sane - estate market. Here’s how: Start with all U.S. cities that have populations of 50000 to 300000th Exclude retirement communities, places where income is less than 85% or more than 201% of the median state, and those that are more than 95% white. Screen out cities with high crime, big population declines, unemployment or significant shrinkage job, and long commutes. Rank remaining seats based on job growth, income increases, cost of living, housing affordability, school quality, arts and leisure options, ease of daily life to safety, medical care, and diversity. Factor in more data on the economy, jobs, housing prices, schools and taxes. Then visit and interview residents, assessing intangible like vibrancy and sense of community.

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MONEY magazine is the nation’s largest personal finance magazine. With nearly 2 million subscribers and newsstand buyers and a total of 7.9 one million readers, it remains twice as large as its nearest competitors. MONEY’s accessible and user-friendly articles are aimed at anyone who is responsible for making money decisions in his or her household-from seasoned investors to those who are just starting their financial lives. The magazine’s mission is to help readers make better decisions, not just in their investment portfolio, but in all areas in which life and money intersect - family, home, health, finances, career, spending and future. MONEY, along with FORTUNE, FSB: FORTUNE Small Business, and the website CNNMoney.com, is part of The Fortune | Money Group. Time Inc.. is a division of Time Warner, a leading media and entertainment company.