Best Places to Live: Top 100

CNNMoney.com - July 2007

For this year's list we focused on smaller places that offered the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community.

By Kate Ashford, Andrea Bartz, Jeff Cox, Asa Fitch, Stephen Gandel, Josh Hyatt, Rob Kelley, Kathleen Knight, Joe Light, Ismat Sarah Mangla, Sarah Max, Jennifer Merritt, Brad Nelson, Donna Rosato, Ingrid Tharasook

59. Saline, Mich.

Population: 8,700
Median home price (2006): $294,285
Average property taxes (2005): $4,180

Saline knows a lot about hometown pride. Annual city-wide festivals such as The Celtic Festival, Summerfest, Harvest of the Arts and The Saline Community Fair draw visitors from all across the state. Equally popular are The Rentschler Farm and The Depot Museum. The Saline Sustainability Circle - an inter-governmental coalition that calls upon neighboring townships to cooperate and contribute to development and planning issues - recently got a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to revamp its downtown. The area is blossoming into its own, but also reaps benefits from Ann Arbor, its bigger neighbor.
-I.T.