Richardson, McKinney rank in list of happiest mid-size cities
February 19, 2014
By Julieta Chiquillo
Staff Writer | Dallas Morning News
Richardson and McKinney are among the 10 happiest mid-size cities in the country, according to a list compiled by Movoto, a real estate brokerage.
At No. 5 on the list, Richardson is the top city representing Texas. McKinney ranked No. 10.
Movoto scored cities based on several criteria, including stress factors (unemployment, high cost of living, long commutes), personal safety, income levels, marriage rates, home ownership, the number of residents with college degrees and the convenience of amenities.
The real estate firm defined mid-size cities as those ranking between 100 and 300 in the U.S.based on population according to the Census Bureau.
The city of Rochester in Minnesota topped the Movoto rankings, followed by Arvada, Colo.; Naperville, Ill.; and Cary, N.C.
Richardson stood out for the level of education of its residents, among other things. Fifty percent of Richardson residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to Movoto.
McKinney has the distinction of having more married people than any of the other places in the Movoto list. According to the real estate firm, 63 percent of residents in McKinney are married.