Cheyenne is ranked
second in “Best Cities for Relocating Families” in the small
cities category in a study by Worldwide ERC® (Employment
Relocation Council) and Primacy Relocation (www.primacy.com).
Cheyenne's rank is up from No. 8 in the same survey in 2004.
The purpose of the study was to rate
cities based on factors—both short-term and long-term—that determine the
likelihood of a successful relocation.
Traditional factors such as tax rates,
average home costs and home appreciation are combined with families’
relocation concerns, such as the ability to qualify for in-state
tuition, service levels of local utilities, volunteerism and
auto/vehicle taxes.
“The Best Cities for Relocating Families” survey weighs the factors
that gauge the ease of moving to a city—valuable information for anyone
involved in the business of employee relocation. It took into
consideration quality-of-life issues that most “best cities” surveys
weigh, but paid special attention to criteria that families deal with
during their first year in a new location.
The survey took into account the following factors: Economic
impacts such as property crime; income/property taxes—city, county, and
state marginal tax rates for $50,000 income and property taxes: cost of
living—including food, shelter, transportation and entertainment; home
price and appreciation over the last year; education factors such as
pupil-teacher ratios and requirements for in-state tuition at
universities, deemed an indication of how local institutions treat
newcomers.
Other factors rated were average commute time; neighborhood mix of
homes, jobs and services; accessibility of the street network; utility
customer-service ratings; vehicle taxes; weather; social influences that
aid in entertainment and making new friends, such as strength of
activity centers and downtown areas; and, rate of volunteerism.
The results give a solid ranking of cities based on their
attractiveness for relocation.
Best Cities in Small Markets
(metro areas with populations between 50,000 and 250,000)
1. Athens, Ga.
2. Cheyenne, Wy.
3. Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.-Minn.
4. Davis, Ca.
5. Enid, Ok.
6. Grand Forks, N.D.
7. Hagerstown, Md
8. Pocatello, Idaho
9. Dover, Del.
10. Casper, Wy.
To view the entire findings and Press Release, visit
Primacy Relocation Press Release
