They don t need to be by a river or on a railroad line. They have no natural homes. So they re chasing people. Whatever connection there is between quality of life and economic health, it will strengthen. Finally the popular lists consider housing costs and wages.
Wages are relatively low.
Land prices are relatively high. Using data from the 1997 Places Rated Almanac , the Regional Financial Association s population and income time series, and the 1994 State and City Statistical Abstracts, Lusht, Fisher, and Wu created a mathematical model that used housing and wage information to fix the value of each amenity. Then you rank them. The good news is that this type of inefficiency may offer investment opportunities. And New Orleans shot to the top of the list.