4/21/2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Steve Nickerson
President & CEO
TrueV New Media
www.RelocateAmerica.com
nickerson@trueV.com
877-235-4658


Relocate-America Releases 12th Annual
“America's Top 100 Places to Live”

Brighton, Mich., April 21, 2009 -- RelocateAmerica.com, a website that provides relocating consumers & area residents with access to local community resources has released its annual listing of “America's Top 100 Places to live for 2009.”

“With the increasing concern on our nation’s economy and recovering housing market we approached this year’s list with a different lens than in previous years. We concentrated on the outlook for future growth & ability to rebound in the communities that we selected” said Steve Nickerson, president and CEO. “We looked at the local government & the business leadership in each community as we considered this year’s winners. We selected communities with visionary leaders, improving or thriving economies including housing & realization of “green” initiatives.

In order to be considered for the list a community must be nominated at http://www.RelocateAmerica.com. Relocate-America’s editorial team reviews nominations and selects the TOP100 cities based on interviews with local leaders, feedback from residents and economic, environmental, education, crime, employment and housing data for the past year.

Only cities in the TOP10 are numerically ranked.

The Top 10 communities from “America's Top 100 Places to Live in 2009” are:

1. Tulsa, OK
2. Dallas/Ft Worth, TX
3. Pittsburgh, PA
4. Raleigh/Durham, NC
5. Huntsville, AL
6. Houston, TX
7. Albuquerque, NM
8. Lexington, KY
9. Little Rock, AR
10. Oklahoma City, OK


_________

Excerpt regarding Portland, Maine being named one of the top 100:
_________

"Portland is Maine's business, financial and retail capital and the largest city in the state. Seascapes and cityscapes blend harmoniously in Portland, perched on a peninsula, jutting out into island-studded Casco Bay. The metropolitan hub of Maine's south coast region, Portland is a progressive, lively city incorporating the character of yesteryear into a modern urban environment. Historic architecture blends gracefully with the new as you stroll along her working waterfront or the cobblestone streets of the restored Old Port section of the city.

With a metro population of 230,000, the Greater Portland area is home to almost one quarter of Maine's total population. The population of the city is 64,000.

The economy is strong. Bumper-to-bumper traffic and gridlock are unheard of. Portland is an easygoing city with friendly, hardworking people. Ranked nationally as one of the ten safest, culturally most fascinating US Cities and one of the top cities for doing business, housing is affordable, the schools and healthcare are outstanding.

Portland is a city of neighborhoods diverse in character and design, offering a broad spectrum of housing choices for residents from dense urban neighborhoods to island communities.

The city works hard to preserve and enhance the livability of its neighborhoods. As the city grows and evolves, close attention is paid to careful land use regulation, design and public participation that maintains and respects our neighborhood integrity.

Portland offers all the cultural and entertainment amenities of any metropolitan area but on a much more livable scale. The city's remarkable collection of historic buildings, its outstanding physical setting on the coast of Maine, a vibrant arts district and traditional working waterfront are all balanced with the ease and friendliness of a small town. A walk able and friendly city, stroll the cobblestone streets and explore the galleries, shops, historic landmarks and diverse dining opportunities amongst a spectacular natural setting. Enterprising, progressive and livable- Portland will exceed your expectations in ways you never imagined.

The quality and style of architecture in Portland is in large part due to the succession of well-known 19th-century architects who worked in the city. From the early 1880s to the 1930s, architect, John Calvin Stevens worked in a wide range of styles from the Queen Anne and Romanesque popular at the beginning of his career, to the Mission Revival Style of the 1920s, but the architect is best known for his pioneering efforts in the Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, examples of which abound in this area. The Victorian style architecture, which was popular during Portland's rebuilding, has been preserved very well by an emphasis on preservation on the part of the city government. In 1982 the area was entered on the National Register of Historic Places.

Portland is currently experiencing a building boom, though much more controlled and conservative than a previous building boom during the 1980s. In recent years, Congress Street has become home to more stores and eateries, spurred on by the expanding Maine College of Art and the conversion of office buildings to high-end condos. Rapid development is occurring in the city's historically industrial Bayside neighborhood, as well as the emerging harborside Ocean Gateway neighborhood at the base of Munjoy Hill.

Due to being Maine's largest city, its proximity to Boston and having the state's largest port, Portland has become Maine's economic capital. The local economy has shifted over the years from relying primarily on fishing, manufacturing and agriculture towards a much more service-based economy. Most national financial services organizations with significant operations in the state have their Maine base here, such as Bank of America, Key Bank, Fidelity Investments, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Aetna. Several notable companies are also headquartered or partially headquartered here, including Unum, TD Banknorth, Maine Bank & Trust, ImmuCell Corp, and Pioneer Telephone. Several other notable companies that have an impact on the Greater Portland economy are located in the suburbs of South Portland, Westbrook and Scarborough.

Portland has a low unemployment level when compared to national averages and the state average. Portland and surrounding communities also have higher median incomes than most other Maine communities.

Downtown Arts District, centered around Congress Street, is home to the Portland Museum of Art, Maine College of Art, Children's Museum of Maine, SPACE Gallery, Merrill Auditorium, and Portland Symphony Orchestra, as well as many smaller art galleries and studios.

Baxter Boulevard around Back Cove, Deering Oaks Park, the Eastern Promenade, Lincoln Park, Riverton Park and the Western Promenade are all historical parks within the city. Other parks and natural spaces include Payson Park, Post Office Park, Baxter Woods, Evergreen Cemetery and the Fore River Sanctuary. The non-profit organization Portland Trails also maintains an expansive network of walking and hiking trails throughout the city and neighboring communities.



Sources: portlandmaine.gov and wikipedia.org
4/21/09