50 Smart Places to Live

Not too many people have the opportunity--or the inspiration--to quit their jobs, sell their homes and travel the country in search of the perfect place to live. But last year former Washington, D.C., residents Karen-Lee Ryan, 40, and her husband, Mark Wood, 42, started a six-month odyssey with that goal in mind. In that spirit, Kiplinger's asked hundreds of you for the criteria you'd use to pick a place to call home. You said you wanted good value in home prices and a reasonable cost of living--not surprising, considering that choosing a place to live is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make--combined with a great quality of life. To find such cities, Kiplinger's joined forces with Bert Sperling, co-author of Cities Ranked & Rated and host of BestPlaces.net, to compile a database with an eye to these elements. Presented are the top 50 places to live.