4/11/2012 - Portland Tops the Charts
Travel & Leisure and GoLocal of Providence RI give Portland top marks for its hip factor and quality of life

PORTLAND, Maine – This month, Travel & Leisure named the City of Portland the 5th hippest city in the US, first on the East Coast, and GoLocal Providence RI named Portland the 5th best city in New England. Citing the city’s coffee shops, microbrews and restaurant scene, Travel & Leisure readers selected Portland as a magnet for hipsters, giving high marks for the city’s independent boutiques, live music scene, eco-consciousness, and offbeat and tech-savvy locals. As a part of Travel & Leisure’s annual America’s Favorite Cities survey, readers ranked thirty-five metropolitan areas on a variety of culturally relevant features including coffee shops, microbrews, and restaurants.

GoLocal of Providence RI also gave Portland top marks for its quality of life, economic prosperity and environment. The online magazine used sixteen criteria for its ranking of thirty New England cities, the five most populous of each state. The criteria included median household incomes, unemployment rates, crime statistics, public school qualities, weather, wifi hotspots and walkability.

“Portland’s unique quality of life continues to garner welcome national attention,” remarked Mayor Michael Brennan. “It’s pretty clear that our community values have helped shape a city that is diverse, unconventional and inviting. From the city’s creative economy to its vibrant food scene, Portland is earning its place on the map as a great community to live and work.”

For more information, visit Travel & Leisure and Go Local.

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