Charlottesville is the #2 place to retire young

Who knew? So says CNN (no longer available) and BestPlaces.net.

Specific criteria used in making up the list of best places follow:

    * Population growth: We wanted positive growth since 1990.
    * Near major metropolitan area: within 100 miles.
    * Housing cost: below $350,000, with a few exceptions. We’re showing current median housing prices (asking prices) for single-family houses.
    * Cost of living: No more than 20 percent above the national average.
    * Economic health: current unemployment rate below 4 percent and job growth greater than 10 percent for the past five years.
    * College presence: one or more major and/or highly competitive college in the vicinity.
    * Recreation and arts and culture score in the top third for nearby major metropolitan areas.

This is a good place to start if you are looking for homes in the Charlottesville area.

(Take that, Jeremy! 🙂 )

Update:  Move.com mentions the survey as well (archived: 2008), as does the Boomer Chronicles (archived: 2025).