ARNOLD: Lucky Thirteen
MONEY magazine says Arnold is affordable
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| ANDREW JANSEN PHOTO Arnold Mayor Mark Powell speaks at a press conference at the Arnold Recreation Center on Monday about MONEY magazine naming the city as 13th on the list of 25 Best Affordable Cities to Live in the United States. |
MONEY magazine contacted Arnold city officials Friday, alerting them that the city would be named in its August issue as one of the 25 Best Affordable Cities to Live in the United States. The city had to keep the news quiet until the magazine updated its Web site Monday morning.
"It's quite an honor to even be considered on that list," Powell said.Not only did the city make the national list, but it ranked 13th for 2008. MONEY creates an annual list of the top 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Arnold did not qualify for the MONEY's full Top 100 list because it does not have a population between 50,000 and 300,000.
However, the magazine also promotes small cities through other lists of Top 25 locations. Along with Best Affordable Cities, the magazine compiles lists of 25 best cities for such topics as high incomes, job growth, gas crunch, commutes, temperature, most singles, clean air and even skinniest.
"The secret is out-what 20,000 people knew all along," said Chuck Banks, presiding commissioner of Jefferson County. "Arnold, and Jefferson County, is a great place to live. That's why we're going to continue to succeed while the rest of the region will fail."
The magazine's Web site lists the median family income in Arnold as $68,165 and the average home price at $119,600. The most affordable city in the country, according to MONEY is Nicholasville, Ky., with a median home price of $70,000.
"We might not be at the top of the mountain yet, but at number 13, we can sure see it from here," said Phil Amato, Ward 3 Councilman.
Powell said the journey began in 1972 when the city was incorporated by a margin of six votes. Now Arnold boasts a public library, low crime rate, Recreation Center, golf course, sewer system, storm warning system, low taxes, commercial growth, police department and affordable housing.
The MONEY Web site cited the major redevelopment campaign the city began about four years ago as one reason for its selection. The new Jefferson College campus and Arnold's 400 acres of parks and recreation areas also played a role in the city's inclusion on the list.
"Arnold is becoming, I truly believe, the economic engine of Jefferson County," Powell said.
He commended the city's staff and said that he expects to see the city continue to grow.
"Arnold, Missouri is not where we live-it is our home," Amato said.
For more information about the Top 25 and Top 100 lists, visit http://money.cnn.com.
