Our selection in 2004 of America’s Most Livable places spans America’s landscape from our smallest cities to our large cities, from mid-size cities to unity driven regions, all of which highlight that livability is grown locally. Livability is nurtured by civic effort and it is defined by a variety of values that certainly include quality of life and environment, heritage, culture, and a willingness to work together with a problem solving mentality and the realization that livability is a life’s work. Livability is never completely reached and thus it is a goal every decade to redefine, reposition, and reinvent how to work together to make a community better for all of its citizens.

Large Cities
“Livable Large Cities” are places of broad muscle, wealth, and corporate headquarters. They are dynamic regional centers that help to shape the growth and economy of their surrounding communities. Livable Large Cities experience different challenges and opportunities as a result of their size. They have a stronger economic resource base to fund change in the new economy however they are frequently burdened by the inability to act quickly.

Yet Livable Large Cities have sustained a high quality of life for their residents and continue to invest in long-term strategies that are driven by quality of life standards. They have been successful in their growth or revitalization by maximizing the value of the community’s assets. Livable Large Cities have used a combination of valuable assets be it climate, setting, intelligence of the labor force, downtown amenities, partnerships, or leadership agendas to reinvent themselves and become models for livability across America.

The large cities in America's Most Livable Communities 2004 are: 

     • San Jose, CA
     • Denver, CO
     • Kansas City, MO
     • Tulsa, OK
     • Ft. Worth, TX
     • Charlotte, NC
     • Cincinnati, OH
     • Jacksonville, FL
     • Louisville, KY
     • San Diego, CA

Mid-Sized Cities
“Livable Mid-Size Cities” are places with history and growing resources, small city familiarity and large city visions, strong community involvement and creative leadership. Partners has found through our experience that these places are most able to adapt, respond to change and get things done in a quicker and more creative way than their smaller or larger counterparts.

Although Livable Mid-sized Cities have an easy time maneuvering, they still retain their neighborliness and high quality of life. The community is strong enough to deal with a major problem and large enough to have the resource base by which they can find the funding, leadership, and collaboration to effectively create a change. Livable Mid-Sized Cities have the best of both worlds and have risen to prominence in exploration of their own agendas, assets, and opportunities.

The mid-sized cities in America's Most Livable Communities 2004 are:

     • Riverside, CA
     • St. Petersburg, FL
     • Winston-Salem, NC
     • Richmond, VA
     • Birmingham, AL
     • Columbia, SC
     • Grand Rapids, MI
     • Jackson, MS
     • Santa Rose, CA
     • St. Paul, MN 

Small Cities
“Livable Small Cities” are places built around historic centers that are repositioning themselves as valuable and desirable places. They are not only attracting residents and businesses from surrounding regions but from areas far and away. The community leaders have collaborated to build a strong downtown and develop a sustainable economic base from which residents can grow a business and raise a family.

While these Livable Small Cities are experiencing rapid growth, they are not loosing touch with the traditional gathering place of value in their historic centers. These areas define the community’s livability by bringing citizens and visitors that close feeling of friendliness that is unmatched in any larger counterpart. Livable Small Cities are the true heartland of America and places that every community, no matter what the size, should try to emulate.

The 2004 Livable Small Cities are:

     • Fayetteville, AR
     • Roanoke, VA
     • Elkhart, IN
     • Salem, MA
     • Ventura, CA

Regions
“Livable Regions” are places where collaboration has formed across traditional boundaries. The resulting association has helped to reinforce the historic center city and expand the benefits into adjacent communities. Regions succeed because our world is changing- municipal challenges cannot be solved without regional collaboration.

By taking the crucial step to define their leadership and their ability to resolve problems and create opportunities on a regional scale, Livable Regions have become more competitive in the global economy. Livable Regions represent a critical trend that many communities are moving toward.

The 2004 Livable Regions are:

     • Tacoma-Pierce County, WA
     • Greater Sacramento, CA
     • Marquette County, MI
     • Memphis/Shelby County, TN
     • Traverse City Region, MI