Pittsburgh ranks first for relocating familiesPittsburgh Business Times - by Tim Schooley
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stor...ml?ana=from_rssIt would be logical that if Pittsburgh ranks as America's most livable city then it should be among the best cities to relocate families to as well.
That's Pittsburgh's newest PR trophy, achieving the number one ranking of the "Best Cities for Relocating Families" among large metropolitan areas in the United States.
San Antonio-based Worldwide ERC, a relocation services industry trade group, in conjunction with Primacy Relocation, an international relocation firm, announced their list today, working with Bert Sperling of Sperling's BestPlaces to rate cities based on a variety of criteria.
Pittsburgh beat out Indianapolis, the second-ranked big city, and three Texas metros, Austin, Forth Worth and San Antonio, to take the top spot.According to a prepared statement announcing the ranking, the 2008 study placed a special emphasis on both the housing market and economy, both of which impact relocation plans and an employer's ability to transfer employees.
Other criteria new to this year's ranking include recent job growth for 2007, percentage of nearby top-ranked colleges, average in-state tuition for four-year public colleges, percentage of population growth since 2000, amount of pediatricians per 100,000 population, and separate sales and income tax categories.
The ranking also includes a green living index, measuring environmental incentives and policies.
"Quality of life issues are increasingly important to transferees, and the employers who move them are recognizing those requirements," Cris Collie, CEO of Worldwide ERC, said in the statement. "Being able to meet the needs of the entire family will be increasingly critical as the labor market grows tighter."
Last April, Pittsburgh was named America's most livable city by the Places Rated Almanac for the first time since 1985.
