Quantcast
Channel: Ranking

I tried every doughnut at Tim Hortons, and ranked them from worst to best

0
0

Tim Hortons doughnuts

  • Tim Hortons is like Canada's answer to Dunkin', though the doughnut chain also has locations in the US.
  • On a recent trip to Quebec City, I tried every single doughnut sold at Tim Horton's (besides a range of fancy "dream" doughnuts).
  • The maple-glazed doughnut was delicious, but the honey-glazed flavor took the crown — which was a surprise to me because I don't usually like honey.
  • I personally didn't like the blueberry doughnut, which was way too sweet for me.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tim Hortons — aka Timmy's — is a staple of Canadian culture. With almost 5,000 locations, it's Canada's largest restaurant chain.

Much like Dunkin', Tim Hortons is a casual, counter-service spot for coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries that can be found on almost every corner in Canada. There are also many Tim Hortons locations in the US, though it's more popular in Canada.

On a recent trip to Quebec City, I tried all the doughnuts that I could from Tim Hortons to see what makes it such a celebrated Canadian institution.

Tim Hortons Quebec City

I asked the teenager behind the counter for one of each regular doughnut (Tim Hortons also has a variety of fancy cream-filled doughnuts, called beignes de rêve, or dream doughnuts), and while he initially looked shell-shocked (maybe my broken French), he acquiesced. 

He also threw in an apple fritter, which was delicious but maybe not strictly a doughnut, although it was called a beigne aux pommes in French, which means apple doughnut.

The 12 pastries cost around $7.50 ($9.99 CAD), and ranged in price from roughly $0.75 ($0.99 CAD) to $1.12 ($1.49 CAD).

Tim Hortons doughnut pieces

I scientifically cut two slivers off each to taste-test them not once, but twice, along with a friend who gave his input, before making my final reviews.

Here's how they stacked up:

doughnut order tim hortons

  1. Bleuets (blueberry) — I didn't like this one at all. I found it brick hard, super dense, and cringingly sweet.
  1. Creme Boston (Boston cream)— The custard inside this doughnut was much too sweet for me, though I can see others liking its airy, fluffy consistency.
  1. Rousette au miel (honey cruller)— This honey-glazed cruller was almost too moist and sugary for me, but at the same time, I found that it didn't taste like much at all. I didn't get the slightest hint of honey.
  1. Glacé à la vanille (vanilla frosted with sprinkles)— I was afraid of getting a cavity just looking at this one, but it wasn't as sweet as I expected. The vanilla frosting was light and not too sweet, while the sprinkles added a nice crunch.

8. Glacé au chocolat (chocolate frosted)— This doughnut felt a little denser than some of the others, but the frosting was perfectly chocolatey without being too sweet, in my opinion, and I don't usually even like frosting. It also tasted more like milk chocolate than dark chocolate, which I prefer.

  1. À l'ancienne ordinaire (old-fashioned)— I found that the old-fashioned doughnut had a much heavier, cake-like texture compared to the rest, but the flavor had a touch of cinnamon that I enjoyed.
  1. Glacé à l'érable (maple frosted)— I actually thought this was dulce de leche or coffee-flavored before realizing it was maple glazed. The doughnut itself was a bit dense, but I did like the frosting a lot, which I wasn't expecting (as I said before, I don't usually like frosting). It was sweet, but not achingly so.

 thumb tim hortons doughnuts

  1. À l'ancienne glacé (frosted old-fashioned)— Again, this old-fashioned doughnut tasted more like cake to me than a doughnut. It had a lemony frosting I liked a lot, though.
  1. Chocolat Glacé (frosted chocolate)— This one reminded me more of a doughnut-shaped chocolate cake than an actual doughnut, but it was delicious. The chocolate flavor was subtle, similar to a marble cake, in my opinion.
  1. Beigne aux pommes (apple fritter)— Apparently, this apple fritter counts as a doughnut in Quebec, as they call it a beigne. Doughnut or not, it was delicious, though I will admit the apple was so subtle I thought it was a kind of Canadian cinnamon roll. Either way, it was very, very good.
  1. Beigne farci au caramel avec Kit Kat (caramel stuffed and topped with Kit Kat)— I'm usually a classic glazed doughnut kind of girl who likes her pastries simple, so I was surprised at just how much I liked this fancy doughnut. The caramel inside was gooey and delicious — again, not too sweet — and the Kit Kat topping added a delightful crunch.
  1. Glacé au miel (honey glazed)— I thought this was a lemon-glazed doughnut thanks to its refreshingly tangy taste. Turns out, it's honey glazed. I'm actually surprised that this ranks number one for me, as I don't usually like honey but I really enjoyed this doughnut. You'll have to see for yourself whether that means it doesn't taste much like honey, or is just very good honey.

Tim Hortons doughnuts after

My biggest takeaway is that Tim Hortons can make a good doughnut, and in my opinion they're better than the ones I'm used to from Dunkin'.

While I do like Dunkin' coffee (it even took the number two spot in my supermarket ground coffee taste test), I personally find that doughnuts at Dunkin' leave me with a strange, almost artificial taste in my mouth, and a thin film on my tongue. The doughnuts at Tim Hortons tasted fresher, in my opinion, plus I really liked the more unusual maple and honey-glazed flavors.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A 45-year-long study discovered trends in successful hyper-intelligent children


The 10 US states where women have the best chances of growing a business and getting the funding they need, ranked

0
0

small business owner

  • Location can have a major impact on business success — and this is especially true for female entrepreneurs.
  • Every state in the US has different laws, industries, and initiatives that can either aid or hinder business success.
  • Fit Small Business ranked all 50 states based on opportunities and benefits for women business owners.
  • Colorado was the top state, while California, New York, and Texas also ranked among the top five.
  • Click here for more BI Prime content.

Location, location, location! Although the age-old dictum came from selling real estate, the same goes for starting a business. 

Your location can make all the difference in getting funding, acquiring customers, and scaling up. Since every state has different laws, industries, and initiatives, it's key to consider how your location may hinder or drive your success. 

This is even more important for businesses owned by women, which are steadily growing. However, women face more obstacles in getting funding, and their businesses make less money on average than those owned by men. 

According to a recent study by American Express, revenue disparity has worsened. For every dollar that a private company generated, women-owned businesses generated 37 cents in 1997 and 30 cents in 2019.

Fit Small Business, a website that writes advice for small businesses, released an annual study of the best states in America for female entrepreneurs. The site ranked all 50 states based on several factors that can make it easier for women business owners to succeed, including cost of living, access to funding, women's health, and startup survival rates.

Here are the top 10 states for female entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses.

10. Vermont

With a population of 626,299, Vermont is the smallest state on this list, yet still has opportunity for women business owners and venture capital. In 2018, female founders received $130 million in capital, according to a report from Pitch Book

The state ranks high in women's issues and social justice, though it also has a high cost of living and a corporate tax rate to consider.



9. Iowa

Fit Small Business calls Iowa an "all around balanced state for female entrepreneurs," with strong opportunities for women-owned businesses in biotechnology and green energy. However, it ranked the state low in terms of social justice and women's rights. 



8. Georgia

Between 2014 and 2019, Georgia was the top state for growth of women-owned businesses in number of companies, revenue, and employment, according to a report by American Express

Fit Small Business ranked the state at a low 41 in women's health and safety initiatives. However, when it comes to business development, there are several initiatives that provide support. This includes the Greater Women's Business Council, which offers training, events, and certification help to women-owned businesses in Georgia.



7. Massachusetts

Massachusetts has been historically progressive in women's issues and business development, but when it comes to cost efficiency, it falls behind compared to other states. Massachusetts is known for high taxes and cost of living. 

According to a report by Kauffman, the state had only an average startup growth rate compared to other states, with 0.23% of the population starting new businesses in 2018. 





6. Florida

Florida's fairly low cost of living is just one aspect that makes it desirable for business owners. But if you want to be at the center of it all in Miami, it's going to cost significantly more, as real estate prices are some of the highest in the country. 

The state is still developing its standing in women's and minority initiatives and business development. The Florida Women's Business Center provides training, mentoring, and programs to women business owners.



5. Texas

Business Insider ranked Texas as the best state to start a small business in 2020, with one of the highest net gains in small businesses. Cities like Austin and Houston are emerging as major hubs for startups and local businesses.

The state is especially strong for women and minority-owned companies, and has initiatives such as the Texas Women's Foundation that last year invested $6.3 million in research, advocacy, and programs to help advance women in leadership and financial equality.



4. New York

Although New York has one of the highest costs of living in the country, it has a lot of resources for small businesses and initiatives for female business owners. The New York City Economic Development Corporation hosts events and free workshops through Women.nyc, and the New York City Department of Small Business Services offers startup funding through WeFund

New York City is also home to many coworking spaces for women, such as The Wing and Luminary, which aim to help female business owners and freelancers work remotely, network, and balance other areas of life like childcare and wellness. 



3. Washington

Last year, Business Insider's Ivan De Luce reported Seattle as the best city to launch a startup, because of the city government's strong support of small businesses, such as offering seed funding and consulting through the Only in Seattle initiative. 

Washington has a lot of resources for women entrepreneurs, such as the Women's Funding Alliance, 100% Talent, Women's Funding Network and the WA Women's Foundation. The state also has no personal or corporate income tax, though it does charge a business and occupation (B&O) tax.



2. California

California comes in second place in part for the amount of startups and venture capital in Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay area. But that doesn't discredit the rest of the state. Other top cities for business owners include Yorba Linda, Los Angeles, and Torrance.

The state's cost of living is tremendous, second only to Hawaii, and taxes are high. But the trade off is the extensive funding available. Californian female founders received $27.2 billion in total venture capital in 2018, more than any other state, according to a report by Pitch Book.



1. Colorado

Colorado tops the list for its economic advantages, like a competitive corporate tax rate and low cost of living, balanced with an overall female-friendly environment. According to an analysis by Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship, 81.12% of Colorado startups in 2018 were still active after one year. 

The state offers robust resources and communities for women and minority business owners. Initiatives like The Women's Foundation of Colorado and The Women's Collaborative for Colorado advocate for equality, benefits, and creating more economic opportunities for women. The state's Minority Business Office offers free consulting, helps small businesses land certifications and government contracts, and hosts the Governor's Minority Business Awards.



All of Margot Robbie's movies, ranked by critics

0
0

margot robbie ranked

  • Margot Robbie has been acting for years, but some of her movies are higher-rated than others. 
  • Robbie's best films include "Birds of Prey" (2020) and "I, Tonya" (2017).
  • On the other hand, she also starred in critical flops like "Terminal" (2018) and "Suicide Squad" (2016).  
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Although she's only been in films for a few years, Australian actress Margot Robbie has already been nominated for two Academy Awards and has proven herself as a performer to watch. 

And although she's been in some hits, the actress has also appeared in a few flops.

Here are all of the movies in Robbie's filmography, ranked according to critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change.

Robbie's lowest-rated film is "Terminal" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Summary: In the neo-noir thriller "Terminal," Robbie stars as Annie, a waitress who leads a dark double life.

In a sprawling city, Annie's life intersects with a teacher (Simon Pegg) battling a terminal illness and a contractor (Mike Myers) who employs a pair of hit men. 



She kicked off her turn as Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%

Summary: In the action thriller "Suicide Squad," intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) releases Gotham's most dangerous villains from jail under the caveat that they complete a deadly mission that could be their last.

The villains include Joker (Jared Leto), Deadshot (Will Smith), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Harley Quinn (Robbie). 



Robbie starred as Jane Clayton in "The Legend of Tarzan" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%

Summary: Years after leaving the jungle behind, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) and his wife Jane (Robbie) are called back on a mission for the Parliament in the action-adventure film "The Legend of Tarzan."

Once they return to the jungle, they realize that they have become pawns of the greed-driven Captain Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). 



The actress played Jess in the crime thriller "Focus" (2015).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Summary: With notes of comedy and drama, the crime thriller "Focus," follows con artist Nicky Spurgeon (Will Smith) as he attracts the attention of low-level grifter Jess Barrett (Robbie).

After Nicky takes Jess under his wing, the two attempt to pull off the biggest con of their lives. 



In "Mary Queen of Scots" (2018) Robbie portrayed Queen Elizabeth I.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: In the historical drama "Mary Queen of Scots," young royal Mary (Saoirse Ronan) returns to Scotland to claim her place on the throne and faces opposition from her cousin Queen Elizabeth I (Robbie).

As pressure mounts on both sides, the two women face off in a battle of wills for the future of their respective lands. 



She was Daphne Milne in "Goodbye Christopher Robin" (2017).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: Based on a true story, "Goodbye Christopher Robin" centers around author A.A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) and the pressure he faces to write new material after he returns home from a war.

Inspired by his son's imagination and his wife Daphne's (Robbie's) support, Milne begins writing children's books about a curious young boy and his teddy-bear friend Winnie the Pooh. 



Robbie voiced Flopsy in "Peter Rabbit" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

Summary: An animated re-imagining of the beloved Beatrix Potter books, "Peter Rabbit" follows the adventures of mischievous Peter (voiced by James Corden) and his friends Flopsy (Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), and Cottontail (Daisy Ridley) as they tease gardener Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson). 



The actress played Tanya in "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Summary: Set in 2003, the comedic drama "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," is based on memoir by journalist Kim Barker (Tina Fey) and her life overseas as a war correspondent in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While there, Barker develops a bond with BBC correspondent Tanya Vanderpoel (Robbie) and Scottish photographer Iain MacKelpie (Martin Freeman). 

 



In the romantic comedy "About Time" (2013) she was Charlotte.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

Summary: "About Time" is a romantic comedy in which Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) realizes he has the ability to travel through time.

At the behest of his father (Bill Nighy) Tim resolves to use time travel to solve his bad luck with dating and falls in love with Mary (Rachel McAdams) in the process. 

Robbie has a supporting role in the film as Charlotte, the best friend of Tim's little sister. 



She was Kayla Pospisil in the drama "Bombshell" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

Summary: Based on the Fox News sexual-harassment scandal, the drama "Bombshell" follows news anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) as she attempts to deconstruct the more toxic elements of her workplace with the help of Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and Kayla Pospisil (Robbie). 



Robbie played Celine Joseph in "Suite Française" (2014).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Summary: "Suite Française" is a romantic drama set in 1940s France during World War II. In it, Lucile Angellier (Michelle Williams) awaits news of her husband from the front lines.

As the war drags on, Lucile develops unexpected feelings for German soldier Bruno Von Falk (Matthias Schoenaerts). 

Robbie had a supporting role in the film as Celine Joseph, one of Lucile's tenants. 



The actress played Ann Burden in "Z for Zachariah" (2015).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: Set in a distant dystopian future, "Z for Zachariah" Ann Burden (Robbie) is led to believe that she's the only person left on the planet after a devastating nuclear war.

But everything changes when she meets fellow survivors Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Caleb (Chris Pine). 



In "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) she was Naomi Lapaglia.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: In the electrifying drama "The Wolf of Wall Street," stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) allows greed to corrupt his ambition as he climbs the corporate ladder of Wall Street.

But distraction lays everywhere on his path to success, from drugs and parties to the dazzling Naomi (Robbie).



She was Allison Wells in the drama "Dreamland" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

Summary: In the dramatic thriller "Dreamland," Eugene Evans (Finn Cole) faces poverty after the devastation of the Dust Bowl and is on the brink of losing his family's farm.

Determined to make money, Evans decides to find and capture elusive bank robber Allison Wells (Robbie) and reap the reward. 



Robbie depicted Sharon Tate in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Summary: Set in Los Angeles in 1969, movie star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) struggle to remain relevant as Hollywood makes room for younger stars like Sharon Tate (Robbie).

On a strange night, their three lives converge as the group of cult-like people referred to as the Manson "family" make murderous plans. 



Critics enjoyed her as Harley Quinn in "Birds of Prey" (2020).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Summary: A sort of follow-up to "Suicide Squad,""Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)" has Robbie return as Harley, who is bouncing back from a nasty breakup with the Joker.

Coming into her own, Harley assembles a crew of vigilantes to rise up against the villainous Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor). 



The actress starred as Tonya Harding in "I, Tonya" (2017).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Summary: Based on a true story, the drama "I, Tonya" traces the life of skating legend Tonya Harding (Robbie) from promising Olympic athlete to the central figure in a criminal investigation after her one of her skating competitors is attacked. 

Read More:



Popular movies inspired by video games, ranked from worst to best

0
0

angry birds detective pikachu

  • There are many movies inspired by video games out there and a lot of them have not been well-received by critics.
  • A few video-game films have been praised by critics, including "Rampage" (2018), "The Angry Birds Movie 2" (2019), "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020), and "Detective Pikachu" (2019).
  • On the other hand, critics panned movies like "Street Fighter" (1994) and "Assassin's Creed" (2016).
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Video-game film adaptations have long been derided by critics for being too noisy, violent, or nonsensical, but in the past few decades, a select number of films have set themselves apart from the rest.

Here are some popular movies based on video games, ranked by critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

It's worth noting that the critic scores were up to date as of publication but are subject to change.

Many were dumbfounded by the lackluster "Street Fighter" (1994).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Summary: The Capcom arcade fighting game is brought to life in this action-packed adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Raul Julia, and Ming-Na Wen.

The film follows a military commander (Van Damme) as he takes a fight against a malevolent dictator into his own hands. 

"While de Souza's arrested development makes him a likely suspect to adapt a video game for movies, the result ... is an empty exercise in hyper-stimulation," wrote film critic Jeff Shannon for the Seattle Times. "Or, to put it bluntly, a complete waste of time."



Some critics said that "Assassin’s Creed" (2016) suffered from an overstuffed plot.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

Summary: Based on the Ubisoft video-game franchise, "Assassin's Creed" stars Michael Fassbender as Callum Lynch, a man who is able to access his genetic memories in order to usurp a secret guild of assassins that still exists today.

"'Assassin's Creed' is not the top-to-bottom disaster some of my peers have painted it as, nor is it bonkers enough to suggest a forthcoming critical re-evaluation," wrote film critic Scott Wampler for Birth, Movies, Death. "Either of those things would've been preferable to something this dour and repetitive."



Some reviewers felt that "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (2001) was an incoherent mess.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Summary: Based on the Sega and PlayStation game of the same name, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" follows the titular heroine (Angelina Jolie) as she recovers lost artifacts and goes head to head with sinister members of the Illuminati.

In his Rolling Stone review, Peter Travers wrote: "In the department of numbing ineptitude, the pacing runs a neck-and-neck race with the dialogue."



Some critics said "Need for Speed" (2014) was stale and slow-moving.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Summary: Adapted from the popular Electronic Arts racing game, "Need for Speed" stars Aaron Paul as a working-class mechanic who must race for his life when a NASCAR driver falsely accuses him of manslaughter. 

"Neither fast nor furious, 'Need For Speed' isn't a car crash," wrote film reviewer Christopher Preston for One Room With A View. "It's a $66 million pile-up, with no survivors."



Some critics said the schmaltz-filled "Super Mario Bros" (1993) lacked substance.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Summary: Loosely based on the iconic platformer arcade game, "Super Mario Bros." follows Mario (Bob Hoskins) and Luigi (John Leguizamo) as they attempt to rescue a princess from the dastardly grip of a reptilian villain who lurks in the sewers beneath Manhattan.

Los Angeles Times critic Michael Wilmington reviewed the film in 1993 and wrote, "The movie knocks your eyes out, at the same time it dulls the mind's eye. Ultimately, it's one more stop in the arcade, beckoning, waiting to soak up time and money."



Despite its impressive visuals, "Warcraft" (2016) was dubbed a waste.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

Summary: Adapted from the global phenomena "World of Warcraft," this movie centers around an orc shaman who opens up a portal to the human realm and threatens to attack humanity with a powerful army. 

"All sorts of people are calling themselves nerds nowadays, but ['Warcraft'] supplies an easy test," wrote critic Jake Wilson for The Age. "If you can sit through this bombastic epic fantasy — and can give a coherent plot synopsis afterwards — then you surely deserve the title."



"Silent Hill" (2006) was derided for being senseless.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Summary: Based on the chilling horror game made for PlayStation, "Silent Hill" follows a family who find themselves transported to the isolated town of Silent Hill, where residents battle a growing darkness. 

"There are worse adaptations of video games out there," wrote film critic Adam Smith for Radio Times. "But this one will probably leave the PlayStation generation itching for their consoles."



"Resident Evil" (2002) was dragged as a gory schlock-fest.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%

Summary: Adapted from Capcom's best-selling video-game franchise, "Resident Evil" would become a six-film series centering around Alice (Milla Jovovich) and her fight against an evil corporation and its zombie agenda.

"An already thin story boils down to surviving invaders seeking an existent anti-virus," wrote Mike Clark for USA Today. "If only there were one for this kind of movie."



Some found "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010) shallow yet enjoyable.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 37%

Summary: Based on the action-adventure game series that follows the trials of a prince, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, a prince gifted with a dagger than can turn back time. 

"As usual, the talent in Prince of Persia is generally top notch — from the cinematographer John Seale to parkour expert David Belle," wrote New York Times critic Manohla Dargis. "But the ingredients have been masticated so heavily the results are mush."



Critics and audiences mostly panned "The Angry Birds Movie" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 43%

Summary: Based on the puzzle game developed by Rovio Entertainment, "The Angry Birds Movie" follows birds and pigs as they unite to battle a common enemy. 

"There are far worse video game adaptations than 'The Angry Birds Movie,' but it commits the cardinal sin of animated films: it treats its young audience as an excuse for laziness," wrote critic Phil W. Bayles of One Room With A View.



Critics felt that "Mortal Kombat" (1995) was thin on plot but had plenty of fan-service.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 47%

Summary: Based on the fantasy fighting game of the same name, the action-adventure film "Mortal Kombat"  pits three reluctant fighters against deadly enemies in a martial-arts tournament for the ages. 

"The guys in the recording studio who made the 'ooofff! augghhhh!' sounds are the ones who really had all the fun," reviewer Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote for Entertainment Weekly.



Some critics called "Rampage" (2018) brainless, harmless fun.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%

Summary: Very loosely adapted from the 1986 Bally Midway arcade game, "Rampage" stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Davis Okoye, a primatologist who is suddenly caught in a race against time to stop giant, mutated animals from destroying cities across the nation.

"'Rampage' was never going to be a movie one would take seriously, and director [Brad] Peyton and the unstoppable charisma that is the [Dwayne] Johnson know their brand and how to work it accordingly," wrote film critic Peter Gray for This is Film



Most critics appreciated "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

Summary: Based on the Sega video-game franchise of the same name, "Sonic the Hedgehog" is a live-action comedy about super-fast blue hedgehog Sonic (Ben Schwartz) as he adjusts to life on Earth while also trying to take down a villain. 

"Sonic the Hedgehog is a genuinely delightful and fun adventure for all ages," wrote critic Nicolás Delgadillo for Cultured Vultures. 



Critics seemed to enjoy "Pokémon: Detective Pikachu" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

Summary: Based on the beloved "Pokémon" anime and video-game series, "Detective Pikachu" takes place in a world where humans and Pokémon work side by side.

When Tim (Justice Smith) is told that his detective father is presumed dead, his dad's Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) turns up out of the blue to aid him in solving his disappearance.

"There's something admirable about a film that isn't afraid to have some fun with a property so established — and beloved — by its core audience," wrote critic Vincent Acovino for NPR.



Critics seemed to enjoy "The Angry Birds Movie 2" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 73%

Summary: In this sequel film, a new threat puts Bird and Pig Island in danger and an unlikely group must team up to keep themselves and their friends safe. 

"The movie, directed by Thurop Van Orman, reminds us that finding a formula to appeal to both kids and parents for 90-odd minutes isn't rocket science," wrote critic Jocelyn Noveck for Associated Press.

Read More:



I tried every single item on Taco Bell's $1 value menu and ranked them

0
0

Taco Bell hero

  • Taco Bell's value menu is made up of eight items each listed online for $1. 
  • I went to the fast-food taco joint to taste and rank each item on the basis of flavor and value. 
  • While the spicy chicken quesadilla melt was decent in size, it was lacking flavor and was significantly more runny than a classic quesadilla — this item was the clear choice for last place.
  • With its large portion size and abundance of flavor, the triple layer nachos came in first.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

In my quest to try all the biggest and best fast-food dollar-menu items out there, I've come face to face with a harsh reality: Barely any fast-food giants have true $1 menus anymore. 

Taco Bell, though, has an entire value menu made up of eight items priced at $1. I went down to my local Taco Bell in New York City to try each item and rank them based on both taste and value.

I was a little surprised to find that the in-store prices were slightly higher than online (items were $1.29 with the exception of the shredded chicken quesadilla melt at $1.49), but the employee behind the counter informed me that prices are slightly higher in NYC and other markets list items for the advertised $1 — so if you're going to your Taco Bell expecting $1 items, it's smart to call ahead and ask for price confirmation. 

Here's my complete ranking of each item on Taco Bell's value menu.

8. Shredded chicken quesadilla melt

This looked more like a burrito than a quesadilla to me from the start. I found it was heavy and gooey, but not in a good way. 

The flavors all melded together and I couldn't pick out the flavors of the chicken and the cheese sauce individually. There was a little bit of a kick, but it was hiding in the background.

The stringy, pulled texture of the chicken wasn't a turnoff, but the fact that it was swimming in cheese sauce made it less appealing to me. It's a valiant effort on the part of Taco Bell, but I think your dollar could be spent on something tastier. 



7. Cinnamon buns

The Value Menu online and in-store lists cinnamon twists as a dessert pastry on offer. When I visited Taco Bell, they were serving these cinnamon buns instead.  

They were hard on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. They were also filled with something a little bit gooey that reminded me of the icing that comes on top of a cinnamon bun. 

There were two small Dunkin' munchkin-sized pastry balls in the order. While they were tasty, there were plenty of other things on the menu that offered a larger portion for the same price.



6. Cheesy bean and rice burrito

In the same unfortunate vein as the shredded chicken quesadilla, I found that this burrito had a gooey consistency. The mishmash-like texture of the insides put this burrito behind other menu items for me, but the taste kept it from falling to the bottom of this list. 

The flavor of the sauce is definitely there, it's just hidden. The spice landed on my throat and the top of my tongue a few seconds after taking my first bite. 

Considering the size of the burrito and the fact that there's both rice and beans inside, I'd say this would be a filling snack.



8. Cheesy roll up

This snack tasted like a rolled-up version of a cheese quesadilla, and there's nothing wrong with that. 

There was the right ratio of cheese to tortilla — if there was more cheese stuffed in it would have become nauseating, in my opinion.

It's a great snack for anyone who just wants a little something to hold them over until their next meal. Just beware of the slightly spicy kick this cheesy roll has.



5. Beefy Fritos burrito

This burrito features a solid amount of food for just $1. There's meat, cheese, rice, and chips all rolled up together in a tasty little package. 

The photo on the menu shows the Fritos chips sprinkled among the meat, but in my burrito, they were nestled between two layers of the tortilla. I couldn't really taste them or appreciate the crunch they added, but it was fun that the wrap included at least a few corn chips inside.



4. Spicy tostada

A flat, round, crunchy tortilla serves as a sturdy base for this open-face taco. With a layer of beans, a heaping mound of lettuce, and a handful of tomatoes, this qualifies as a hearty snack. 

The mix of chipotle sauce and Taco Bell's red sauce provides a good amount of flavorful heat. I felt that the tostada would have felt a bit more thought-through if the cheese were melted under the lettuce rather than sprinkled on top of it, but it didn't ruin the dish. 

Overall this was definitely filling and a surprisingly large portion of food for $1. 



2. Spicy potato soft taco

When I first saw this was a taco featuring potatoes, I was slightly skeptical but mostly intrigued. After I tasted it, I was very impressed. 

The potatoes had their own distinct flavor that meshed really well with the rest of the taco. The chipotle sauce provided just enough heat while the lettuce gave the taco a refreshing crispness. The cheese inside was also slightly melted which was a great change from the other items featuring shredded cheese. The use of a soft taco shell here was much appreciated, too.



1. Triple layer nachos

This bowl of nachos earned itself the No. 1 spot on this list. With tasty chips, dollops of beans, a respectable amount of nacho cheese sauce, and a hint of red sauce, the dish was undoubtedly flavor-forward.

I was also impressed with the size of the portion considering the $1 price tag. This would be a great snack or addition to any lunch.



All of Emily Blunt's movies, ranked by critics

0
0

emily blunt movies ranked by critics

  • Emily Blunt is an actress who is perhaps best known for her roles in films like "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006) and "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014). 
  • Blunt's best-rated films include "A Quiet Place" (2018) and "The Muppets" (2011).
  • She also starred in critical misfires like "The Huntsman: Winter's War" (2016) and "Gulliver's Travels" (2010). 
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Emily Blunt is a Golden Globe-award winning actress who has gone from playing supporting roles in films like "The Devil Wears Prada" to leading blockbusters like "Mary Poppins Returns" (2018). 

The British-American actress has earned acclaim through the years and has mastered a variety of genres from action thrillers to independent dramas.

But with around 30 films under her belt, not all of them have been evenly praised by critics. 

Here's a ranking of Blunt's movies, according to critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change. Films without critical scores and roles where Blunt was uncredited were not included.

Blunt's lowest-rated film is "The Huntsman: Winter's War" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

Summary: In the sequel to "Snow White and The Huntsman" (2012), Ice Queen Freya (Blunt) brings her villainous sister Ravenna (Charlize Theron) back from the brink of death.

As they proclaim a new reign over the Enchanted Forest, the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and his love Sara (Jessica Chastain) rise to defeat them. 



She was Princess Mary in "Gulliver's Travels" (2010).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Summary: Based on the story by Jonathan Swift, "Gulliver's Travels" follows loud-mouthed Gulliver (Jack Black) to a lost island in the Bermuda Triangle where he discovers a civilization of minuscule people.

A giant among them, Gulliver gains favor with the islanders and their ruler Princess Mary (Blunt). 



In "Arthur Newman" (2012) she played Michaela "Mike" Fitzgerald.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Summary: In the comedic drama "Arthur Newman," Colin Firth played Wallace Avery, a divorced middle-aged man who tries to reinvent himself under a new identity: golf pro Arthur Newman.

But on the road to his new life he runs into Michaela "Mike" Fitzgerald (Blunt), a woman with her own troubled past, and they find solace in each other. 



The actress voiced Juliet in "Sherlock Gnomes" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%

Summary: In this sequel to "Gnomeo and Juliet" (2011), Blunt returned as Juliet.

When garden gnomes begin disappearing all over London, Gnomeo and Juliet recruit the help of detective Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp) and Dr. Watson (Chiwetel Ejiofor). 



Blunt played Rose in "Wild Target" (2010).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

Summary: In the action-comedy "Wild Target," Europe's most sought-after assassin Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) hesitates before he takes out an art thief named Rose (Blunt) and he ends up protecting her instead.

On the run, Victor surprises himself by taking on a protegee named Tony (Rupert Grint) as well. 



In the horror thriller "The Wolfman" (2010) she was Gwen Conliffe.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 34%

Summary: In the suspense-filled horror movie "The Wolfman," Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), a man of science and rational thought, grapples with a monstrous new identity after he is attacked by a werewolf and he starts to transform. 

Blunt had a supporting role in the film as Gwen Conliffe, the fiancée of the creature's first victim. 



Blunt starred as Rachel Watson in "The Girl on the Train" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

Summary: Based on the novel by Paula Hawkins, "The Girl on the Train" centers around Rachel Watson (Blunt), a woman reeling from her recent divorce who uses alcohol as a coping mechanism.

One day, on a passing train, Rachel witnesses something awful and becomes entangled in a mystery larger than herself. 



In "Wind Chill" (2007) she played the Girl.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 46%

Summary: In the suspense thriller "Wind Chill" a Guy (Ashton Holmes) and Girl (Blunt) meet on a wintry night and find themselves run off a country road by an unknown vehicle. As they try to survive the freezing conditions, they unravel a sinister local legend. 



The actress voiced Tempest Shadow in "My Little Pony: The Movie" (2017).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 48%

Summary: In the family-oriented animated adventure "My Little Pony: The Movie," Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) and her friends defend Ponyville from the evil Tempest Shadow (Blunt) and Storm King (Liev Schreiber) by departing on a journey beyond the bounds of Equestria.



Blunt voiced Juliet in the animated comedy "Gnomeo and Juliet" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Summary: In the animated comedy "Gnomeo and Juliet," Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet (Blunt) are two star-crossed garden gnomes who fall in love despite an ongoing feud between their respective neighbors.



In "The Five-Year Engagement" (2012) she was Violet Barnes.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: In the unconventional comedy "The Five-Year Engagement," Tom Solomon (Jason Segel) and Violet Barnes (Blunt) face a variety of unexpected obstacles on the road towards matrimony. 



Blunt appeared as Ruthie Draper in "Dan in Real Life" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

Summary: After losing his wife, advice columnist Dan Burns (Steve Carell) struggles to regain normalcy in his life when he takes his three daughters to Rhode Island for an annual family reunion.

But straight-laced Dan surprises himself when he falls for his brother's new girlfriend Marie (Juliette Binoche) and she develops feelings for him in return. 

Blunt had a supporting role in the film as Ruthie Draper, Dan's childhood friend. 



In "The Jane Austen Book Club" (2007) she played Prudie.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

Summary: In the romantic comedy "The Jane Austen Book Club," a group of five women and one man meet to discuss the varied works of Jane Austen and realize that life imitates art as the themes of the books impact their romantic lives. 

Blunt had a leading role as Prudie, a married French teacher who finds herself falling for a younger man. 



The actress was Harriet in "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Summary: At the behest of her client Yemeni Sheikh (Amr Waked), consultant Harriet (Blunt) approaches a fisheries expert named Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) with the seemingly impossible task of introducing salmon fishing to the waters of Yemen.



Blunt played Valerie in "The Great Buck Howard" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Summary: In the dramatic comedy "The Great Buck Howard," an aging mentalist and fading star named Buck Howard (John Malkovich) hopes to revitalize his career in its third act by taking on new road manager Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) and fiery publicist Valerie Brennan (Blunt). 



She starred opposite Matt Damon in "The Adjustment Bureau" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Summary: In a romance film with a science-fiction twist, politician David Norris (Matt Damon) falls for a ballet dancer named Elise Sellas (Blunt) before realizing that mysterious men from a shadowy organization called the Adjustment Bureau are doing everything in their power to keep them apart. 



Blunt starred as the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods" (2014).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

Summary: Based on a Broadway musical of the same name, "Into the Woods" follows a Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Blunt) as a Witch (Meryl Streep) tasks them with finding a cow, a cape, a lock of hair, and a golden slipper.

Their quest introduces them to an array of fairytale characters, from Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) to Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford). 



The actress was Norah in the drama "Sunshine Cleaning" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

Summary: In the dark dramatic comedy "Sunshine Cleaning," sisters Rose (Amy Adams) and Norah Lorkowski (Blunt) scrape by with a new family business: cleaning up crime scenes.

As Rose and Norah help families in the aftermath of horrific losses, they find their own relationship changing for the better.



In "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006) she played Emily.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

Summary: In the fashion comedy "The Devil Wears Prada," Andrea (Anne Hathaway) tries to climb the corporate ladder of the fashion-magazine world as she competes with fellow assistant Emily (Blunt) for the attention of their demanding boss Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). 



Blunt played Queen Victoria in "The Young Victoria" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Summary: As she turns 18, Princess Victoria (Blunt) finds herself caught between love for Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) and duty to her country in the royal drama "The Young Victoria." 



Blunt starred as Mary Poppins in "Mary Poppins Returns" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: In a follow-up to the classic Disney film"Mary Poppins" (1964), Blunt filled in for Julie Andrews as the inimitable Mary Poppins.

Set in 1930s London, Mary returns to aid the Banks family with the help of a charming lamplighter named Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda). 



She was Jane Liddle in "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

Summary: Based on a true story, the dramatic comedy "Charlie Wilson's War" follows US Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in their efforts to privately fund and aid Afghan soldiers during the Soviet-Afghan War. 

Blunt had a supporting role in the film as Jane Liddle, Charlie's love interest. 



In "Your Sister's Sister" (2011) she played Iris.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Summary: The drama "Your Sister's Sister" centers around Jack (Mark Duplass) and his best friend Iris (Blunt). Trying to help Jack gain distance from a recent loss, Iris offers up her family's cabin for solitude.

But when he arrives, he finds Iris' sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) there instead.



The actress voiced Nahoko Satomi in "The Wind Rises" (2014).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

Summary: The Hayao Miyazaki film "The Wind Rises" tracks the life of Jiro (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the English language version) from young boy to genius aircraft designer.

The film weaves in and out of prominent years of his life, as he meets his best friend Kiro Honjo (John Krasinski) and falls in love with Naoko Satomi (Blunt). 



Blunt played Tamsin in "My Summer of Love" (2004).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Summary: In the romantic drama "My Summer of Love," two 16-year-olds who couldn't be more different — Mona (Natalie Press) and Tamsin (Blunt) ⁠— grow incredibly close throughout a boiling hot summer in Yorkshire, England. 



In the action-thriller "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014) she was Rita Vrataski.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Summary: After Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is dropped into a dangerous mission and killed within minutes, Cage wakes up a day prior with the ability to time travel every time he dies.

His only hope of unraveling the mystery of his new power lies with officer Rita Vrataski (Blunt).



Blunt starred as Kate Macy in "Sicario" (2015).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Summary: "Sicario" is a tightly-wound dramatic thriller that centers around FBI agent Kate Macy (Blunt) and her induction into a high-profile drug case set on the border of the United States and Mexico.

With wild-card consultant Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) helming the investigation, Kate tries to stay on top of the explosive case. 



In the mind-bending thriller "Looper" (2012) she played Sara.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Summary: In the science-fiction thriller "Looper," hitman Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) uses time travel to take down targets for the mob. But when his latest victim escapes, he realizes that the mob has sent the older version of himself (Bruce Willis) back in time for him to kill. 

Blunt had a supporting role in the film as Sara, the mother of a powerful telekinetic child. 



The actress was Miss Piggy's receptionist in "The Muppets" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: On a vacation to Los Angeles, Muppet super fan Walter (Peter Linz) and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) uncover a villainous plot to turn the Muppet Theater into an oil-drilling operation.

The trio hits the road in an effort to get the Muppets back together and put on one last show. 

Blunt had a cameo appearance in the film as Miss Piggy's receptionist, which seemed to be a nod to her character Emily from "The Devil Wears Prada." 



Critics loved her as Evelyn Abbott in "A Quiet Place" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: Directed by John Krasinski, the horror-thriller "A Quiet Place" centers around a family of four trying to survive an invasion from creatures who hunt by sound.

As Evelyn (Blunt) and Lee Abbott (Krasinski) raise their children in silence, they also prepare for the birth of their next child. 

Read More:



10 US states where black entrepreneurs have the best chance of establishing successful businesses and getting the resources they need to succeed

0
0

women business owners entrepreneur local small business cupcake shop retail

  • There are 2.6 million black-owned businesses in the US, yet black founders receive just 1% of venture capital. 
  • Fit Small Business ranked all 50 states based on opportunities for black entrepreneurs, local startup climate, and social and financial equality. 
  • Georgia was the top state, while Texas, Florida, and California also ranked among the top five.
  • Click here for more BI Prime content.

Although there are 2.6 million black-owned businesses in the US, the country still has a long way to go before they have equal opportunities, funding, and environments for growth. 

Black founders receive just 1% of venture capital, according to a study by RateMyInvestor, a website where founders can rate their investors, and Diversity VC, a foundation promoting diversity in venture capital. While several black VCs are trying to close that gap, their efforts are often roadblocked by the lack of access capital, Fast Company reported

Venture capital aside, black entrepreneurs can be impacted by other factors like cost of living, government incentives, startup survival rate, and local economic health. Some states are better equipped to support black founders and offer more resources for starting and scaling a business.  

Fit Small Business, a website that writes advice for small businesses, ranked all 50 states based on opportunities and benefits for black entrepreneurs. The site ranked each state on start-up climate and opportunity, economic and financial health, social and financial equality, and black-owned business success. The report also included data from Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship, WalletHub, and US News, among other surveys.

WalletHub's study rated all 50 states on racial progress, measuring levels of equality achieved over time. This metric was based on several factors such as gaps in median annual income, unemployment rate, homeownership, education, and voter turnout. 

Here are the top 10 best states for black entrepreneurs, ranked lowest to highest. 

SEE ALSO: The top states and industries to invest in 2020 for entrepreneurs who are worried about a recession

MUST READ: The 10 US states where women have the best chances of growing a business and getting the funding they need, ranked

10. Colorado

Colorado has 1,104 black-owned businesses. Eighty-one percent of startups in Colorado survive their first year in business. WalletHub ranked Colorado 39th in the country for racial progress.



9. Mississippi

Mississippi has 1,683 black-owned businesses and ranked third in the country for economic and financial health. Eighty-two percent of startups in Mississippi survive their first year in business. WalletHub ranked Mississippi 3rd in the country for racial progress. 



8. New York

New York has 10,035 black-owned businesses. Eighty-seven percent of entrepreneurs in New York created a business by choice rather than out of necessity. WalletHub ranked New York 26th in the country for racial progress.



7. Tennessee

Tennessee has 2,343 black-owned businesses and ranked fifth in the country for social and financial equality. Eighty percent of startups in Tennessee survive their first year in business. WalletHub ranked Tennessee 19th in the country for racial progress.



6. Oklahoma

Oklahoma has 649 black-owned businesses and ranked fifth in the country for start-up climate and opportunity. Eighty-two percent of startups in Oklahoma survive their first year in business. WalletHub ranked Oklahoma 25th in the country for racial progress. 



5. North Carolina

North Carolina has 5,391 black-owned businesses. Ninety percent of entrepreneurs in North Carolina created a business by choice rather than out of necessity. WalletHub ranked North Carolina 8th in the country for racial progress.



4. California

California has 9,524 black-owned businesses and ranked third in the country for black business success. The state also ranked the number one state for start-up climate and opportunity. Eighty-eight percent of entrepreneurs in California created a business by choice rather than out of necessity. WalletHub ranked California 21st in the country for racial progress. 



3. Florida

Florida has 10,676 black-owned businesses and ranked second in the country for black business success. Seventy-nine percent of startups in Florida survive their first year in business. WalletHub ranked Florida seventh in the country for racial progress.



2. Texas

Texas has 8,945 black-owned businesses and comes in second place overall. The state also ranked fourth in the country for three criteria: black business success, economic and financial health, and start-up climate and opportunity. WalletHub ranked Texas second in the country for racial progress. 

The state has emerged as an outstanding hub for businesses — the top state for economic growth and startups and the fifth-best state for women entrepreneurs



1. Georgia

Georgia tops the overall list and has 10,155 black-owned businesses. It was also ranked the number one state for black business success, which is based on the number of black-owned businesses and paid employees in the state. WalletHub ranked Georgia fourth in the country for racial progress. 

 



The 18 US cities that could be hardest hit by the oil crash

0
0

FILE PHOTO: The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant

  • Oil prices recently fell below zero for the first time, and analysts believe it could happen again next month, as the novel coronavirus pandemic continues and demand for oil remains low.  
  • Business Insider took a closer look at which cities could be hit hardest by the drop in oil prices.
  • We used Bureau of Economic Analysis data to calculate mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction as a percentage share of gross domestic product in US cities.
  • At the top of the list was Midland, Texas, which derives 66.21% of its GDP from mining and oil and gas extraction.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Oil is dropping due to travel restrictions and lockdowns amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the decline in demand for oil and gas extraction could have a major impact on certain US cities that rely on the industry. 

Oil prices fell below zero for the first time on Monday. West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed May contracts at negative $37.63 a barrel. Although US oil prices went back up on Thursday to over $16 a barrel, Goldman Sachs experts believe prices could fall into the negatives again. 

To get a better understanding of how this turbulence could affect the economies of different cities around the US, we looked at how much mining and oil account for the percentage share of the GDP for all US cities — and isolated the ones that could be most hurt by the oil drop.

We used 2018 GDP figures of mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, as well as total GDP by metro, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and then ranked the metros by the calculated percentages.

Midland, Texas, had the largest share at 66.21%, as $21.7 billion of its $32.8 billion in total GDP came from mining and oil and gas extraction. Following around 20 percentage points behind was Wheeling, West Virginia, at 46.15% or $5.7 billion of its $12.4 billion in total GDP.

Some other cities on the top of the list are located in Colorado, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

The following are the 18 US cities with the largest share of mining and oil from the city's overall GDP:

SEE ALSO: 27 US cities that could see their budgets devastated by coronavirus

18. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 10.87% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $6.2 billion

Total GDP: $57.2 billion



17. Bakersfield, California: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 11.87% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $5.9 billion

Total GDP: $49.5 billion



16. Houma, Louisiana: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 12.18% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $1.3 billion

Total GDP: $10.4 billion



15. Beckley, West Virginia: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 12.43% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $513.5 million

Total GDP: $4.1 billion



14. Longview, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 13.10% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $2.2 billion

Total GDP: $16.6 billion



13. Duluth, Minnesota: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 13.29% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $2.1 billion

Total GDP: $15.8 billion



12. Williamsport, Pennsylvania: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 13.42% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $887.6 million

Total GDP: $6.6 billion



11. College Station, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 14.71% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $1.9 billion

Total GDP: $13.3 billion



10. Shreveport, Louisiana: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 16.90% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $4.0 billion

Total GDP: $23.8 billion



9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 18.38% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $14.9 billion

Total GDP: $81.0 billion



8. San Angelo, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 19.13% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $1.4 billion

Total GDP: $7.1 billion



7. Farmington, New Mexico: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 21.37% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $1.2 billion

Total GDP: $5.8 billion



6. Weirton, West Virginia: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 22.25% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $1.5 billion

Total GDP: $6.9 billion



5. Laredo, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 25.80% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $3.0 billion

Total GDP: $11.7 billion



4. Odessa, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 27.33% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $3.4 billion

Total GDP: $12.6 billion



3. Greeley, Colorado: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 35.25% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $7.0 billion

Total GDP: $19.8 billion



2. Wheeling, West Virginia: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 46.15% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $5.7 billion

Total GDP: $12.4 billion



1. Midland, Texas: Mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction accounted for 66.21% of the metro's GDP in 2018.

GDP for mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction: $21.7 billion

Total GDP: $32.8 billion




We found the 30 best American cities to live in after the pandemic

0
0

Fargo

  • Some people might be considering moving to a new part of the US after the coronavirus pandemic.
  • We used nine metrics for over 380 US metro areas to calculate an overall score that we used to find the best cities to move to after the pandemic.
  • Some of the 30 best cities to move to are in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you are considering moving to a new place after the novel coronavirus pandemic, you may want to consider one of these 30 US cities.

Recent polling has suggested that many Americans are thinking about moving. The news website Axios reported in late April on a Harris Poll survey that found that about one-third of Americans said they were thinking about moving to less densely populated places. And recent research from Moody's Analytics found that less densely populated places with a larger share of jobs requiring a bachelor's degree or higher were likely to recover first from the economic impact of the pandemic.

During stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the virus, more and more Americans have transitioned to working from their homes. In a Gallup analysis, 62% of respondents in a survey conducted from March 30 to April 2 said they were working from home, compared with 31% of respondents in a survey conducted from March 13 to 15.

New Gallup polling has indicated that even after stay-at-home orders lift and employees can return to offices, some people are thinking about working remotely at least part of the time. In a survey conducted from April 13 to 19, 53% of respondents said they would work remotely as much as they could, while 47% said they would return to the office as much as they previously did.

Business Insider decided to find out which cities could be the best to live in after the coronavirus pandemic for those Americans seeking a new home and planning to continue remote work.

To do this, we used nine economic, educational, and demographic metrics from government data sources and academic research that we think people might consider when moving and that could help a metro area recover faster from the economic effects of the pandemic.

These measures are the pre-coronavirus unemployment rate, ability to work from home, population density, housing affordability, monthly household costs, cost of living, weekly two-way work commute, total elementary- and secondary-school spending per student, and share of residents age 25 and over who have at least a bachelor's degree.

Each measure was rescaled to a uniform z-score, allowing us to add the values together to get a final overall index for each metro area that we then used to rank the 30 metro areas at the top of the list.

You can read more about our method and the metrics we used here.

Here are the 30 best cities to live in after the coronavirus pandemic, based on our analysis:

SEE ALSO: The most affordable small town in each US state if you're looking to escape a big city

30. Danville, Illinois

Danville's cost of living — the metro area's price level of goods and services compared with the US's — is 21.4% lower than the national average. The city's population density of 84.3 people per square mile is also lower than in most metro areas.



29. Grand Island, Nebraska

In Grand Island, 74.1% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, indicating better housing affordability than most metro areas. Grand Island's cost of living is slightly lower than in most metro areas, at 15.7% lower than the national average.



28. Peoria, Illinois

Peoria is among the 100 metro areas with the lowest cost-of-living scores, at 12% lower than the national average. Average housing costs in the city are $875.22 a month.



27. Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.9%, 0.6 percentage points below the national rate. Omaha's cost of living is 7.9% lower than the national average.



26. State College, Pennsylvania

State College's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 3.6%, 0.1 percentage points higher than the national rate in February. Additionally, 46.7% of residents who are at least 25 years old have a bachelor's degree or higher, the 18th-highest share among metro areas.



25. Green Bay, Wisconsin

In Green Bay, 75.5% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the 16th-highest share among metro areas. Average housing costs are $916.86 a month.



24. Columbus, Indiana

In Columbus, 79.5% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the highest share among metro areas. Its pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.3%, tied for the 13th lowest among metro areas.



23. Iowa City, Iowa

Iowa City's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.2%, tied for the sixth lowest among metro areas, and 49.3% of residents who are at least 25 years old have a bachelor's degree or higher, the 10th highest among metro areas.



22. Lansing, Michigan

Lansing is among the metro areas with the highest share of jobs that could be done from home, at 41%. Lansing's cost of living is 8.8% lower than the national average.



21. Syracuse, New York

Syracuse's cost of living is 3.5% lower than the national average. Syracuse is also among the 100 metro areas with the highest share of jobs that could be done from home, at 38%.

An earlier version of this post misstated Syrcause's unemployment rate.



20. Cheyenne, Wyoming

Among the metro areas, Cheyenne has the shortest weekly commute to and from work, at two hours and 28 minutes, and the 18th-lowest population density, at 37.1 people per square mile.



19. Ithaca, New York

Ithaca has the seventh-highest total spending per student in elementary and secondary public schools, where the school district in the metro area with the most students enrolled spends $21,220 per pupil. The metro area also has the sixth-largest share of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher, at 51.9%.



18. Wausau, Wisconsin

In Wausau, 77.5% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the fourth-highest share among metro areas, and average housing costs are $879.32 a month.



17. Madison, Wisconsin

In Madison, 42.6% of jobs could be done from home — a higher share than in most metro areas. The pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 2.6% was lower than the national rate in February.



16. Dubuque, Iowa

In Dubuque, 74.1% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, which is more than in most metro areas, and average housing costs are $905.57 a month.



15. Logan, Utah

Logan's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2%, tied for the second lowest among the metro areas. The weekly commute to and from work is two hours and 57 minutes, tied for the 16th shortest among metro areas.



14. Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.7%, lower than most metro areas, and 72.3% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing — it's among the 100 metro areas with the best housing affordability.



13. Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville had a pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 2.2%, tied for the sixth-lowest rate among metro areas, and 41.5% of jobs could be done from home, a higher share than in most metro areas.



12. La Crosse, Wisconsin

In La Crosse, 73.7% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, which is higher than in most metro areas. It has the 15th-shortest weekly commute to and from work, at two hours and 56 minutes.



11. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

In Cedar Rapids, 75.9% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the 13th-highest share among metro areas. Its pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 3%, 0.5 percentage points lower than the national rate in February.



10. Columbia, Missouri

Columbia's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.7%, lower than most metro areas, and its weekly commute to and from work is two hours and 58 minutes, the 18th shortest among metro areas.



9. Bismarck, North Dakota

In Bismarck, 76.7% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the ninth-highest share among metro areas. Its pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.4%, the 19th lowest among metro areas.



8. Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines' pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.7%, which was lower than in most metro areas. Additionally, 42.7% of jobs could be done from home, the 17th-highest share among metro areas.



7. Rochester, New York

The Rochester metro area school district with the most students enrolled spends a total of $24,943 per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools, the second-highest amount among metro areas. And 39.3% of jobs could be done from home, a higher share than in most metro areas.



6. Ames, Iowa

Ames' pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2%, tied for the second lowest among metro areas. Additionally, 50.7% of residents who are at least 25 years old have a bachelor's degree or higher, the ninth-highest share among metro areas.



5. Champaign, Illinois

Champaign's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 3.2%, which was 0.3 percentage points lower than the national rate in February. The school district with the most students enrolled had the 20th-highest total spending per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools, at $17,606 per pupil.



4. Bloomington, Illinois

The share of jobs that could be done from home in Bloomington is 39.4%, and 72.2% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing; both shares are higher than in most metro areas.



3. Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.1%, tied for the fourth lowest among metro areas. The weekly commute to and from work in Fargo is two hours and 52 minutes, tied for the 10th shortest among metro areas.



2. Jefferson City, Missouri

Jefferson City's cost of living is 18.3% lower than the national average and the fifth lowest among metro areas. And 77.2% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the seventh highest among the metro areas.



1. Springfield, Illinois

Springfield's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 3.5%, equivalent to the national rate, and 42.9% jobs could be done from home, the 16th-highest share among metro areas.



My completely arbitrary yet definitive ranking of mascots from each team in the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL

0
0

phillie phanatic

  • We're all missing our favorite professional sports leagues since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the entire United States back in March.
  • While we wait for the action to pick back up, I decided to do some research on the mascots from each team in the Big Four leagues — the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL.
  • From Mr. Met and the Phillie Phanatic to Benny the Bull and, of course, Gritty, here is my arbitrary yet definitive ranking of all 110 mascots across the biggest sports leagues in America.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

110. Al the Octopus — Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

On the one hand, Detroit Red Wings fans' enduring tradition of throwing live octopuses onto the ice for good luck is both incredibly unique and strangely impressive. The fact that long-time Zamboni driver Al Sobotka whips said octopuses above his head just adds to the hilarity and bizarreness. But, when it comes down to it, animal cruelty is never cool, so the Red Wings mascot gets low marks from me.



109. Raider Rusher — Las Vegas Raiders (NFL)

Horrifying.

Let's hope what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, in this instance.



108. Captain Fear — Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If not for the fact that my editor is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, Captain Fear may have had a shot at the last spot on this list. That said, the thought of Tom Brady cozying up to this guy brings me great joy.



107. The Gorilla — Phoenix Suns (NBA)

Why, though? The mascot is almost as bad as the team itself, and we all know that's saying something.



106. Rowdy — Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

Nope. And not just because I'm a New York Giants fan.



105. Lucky the Leprechaun —Boston Celtics (NBA)

No one wants to see a real, human face on their mascot. Sorry to this man.



104. The Swinging Friar — San Diego Padres (MLB)

The Swinging Friar is meant to honor the Spanish Franciscan friars who established the mission that eventually formed San Diego. Even though this intention is admirable, the execution is more than a bit offputting. And don't get me started on the fact that I can see his toes.



103. Stinger — Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Stinger makes absolutely no sense. According to NHL.com, Stinger — a Yellowjacket who is inexplicably green — represents the "hard work and pride for their team" Columbus fans are known for. I'm not seeing it.



102. Pat Patriot — New England Patriots (NFL)

Pat Patriot — the Revolutionary War soldier who serves as the New England Patriots' mascot — is not my cup of tea. Get it? Revolutionary War? Boston Tea Party?



101. Clutch — Houston Rockets (NBA)

Clutch is supposed to be a bear, but he looks more like a mouse. Either way, neither mascot has anything to do with the Rockets or the city of Houston. Low marks from me, even if his motorcycle is cool.



100. D. Baxter the Bobcat — Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a mascot that is a bobcat? How does that make any sense? Snake or bust, in my opinion.



99. Pierre T. Pelican — New Orleans Pelicans (NBA)

Both Pierre T. Pelican's name and genealogy represent New Orleans beautifully, but that's where the beauty ends when it comes to the New Orleans Pelicans' mascot. I'm sorry, but he's scary looking, and I'm not the only one who thinks so.



98. Tommy Hawk — Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Same thing as Pierre T. Pelican, but he gets the edge because the Blackhawks are amongst the NHL's best.



97. The Coyote — San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

Well, he's unique. That's for sure.

I'll leave it there.



96. Rampage — Los Angeles Rams (NFL)

Listen, I feel for Rampage. I really do. It's tough to rally the fans where there is no fanbase to speak of. Still, those creepy eyes aren't helping the cause.



95. Chance — Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas waited years for a professional sports team, and after getting one at long last, the franchise went ahead and flubbed on the mascot. Chance is a Gila Monster, and not only do I hate him and find him scary, but he doesn't even make sense! Gila Monsters are normally orangey-pink and black, but the Golden Knights changed Chance's look to match the team's color scheme. I just don't get it.



94. Steely McBeam — Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)

I'm really just not a huge fan of human-based mascots. I will say, though, Steely McBeam could cut glass with that jaw. Good for him.



93. The Oriole Bird — Baltimore Orioles (MLB)

I'm sorry, Baltimore Orioles fans. You don't need to endure any more pain and suffering than your team already puts you through. But, frankly, I find The Oriole Bird offputting. I don't know why.



92. Fin the Whale — Vancouver Canucks (NHL)

I just don't think he really looks like a whale. He also scares perfectly innocent babies. He's canceled.



91. Rangers Captain — Texas Rangers (MLB)

The Texas Rangers mascot, Rangers Captain, is a palomino horse that many fans find quite creepy. I have no plans to travel to Arlington, Texas, to get an up-close look, so I guess I'll have to take their word for it.



90. Jazz Bear — Utah Jazz (NBA)

Jazz Bear kind of looks like a bear. He also kind of looks like a Wookiee. I like his headband, but he's not quite goofy enough for my taste. Sorry, Utah Jazz fans.



89. Grizz — Memphis Grizzlies (NBA)

Same as Jazz Bear, but with worse eyebrows and a better outfit.



88. Paws — Detroit Tigers (MLB)

Paws — the mascot for the Detroit Tigers — has a cute name. But his appearance is a bit strange, and I don't like his beard.



87. The Devil — New Jersey Devils (NHL)

I'm pretty much indifferent when it comes to the New Jersey Devil. He's fine. He looks like a devil. The team is called the Devils. It all makes perfect sense, but that's all.



86. Harry the Hawk — Atlanta Hawks (NBA)

Like the New Jersey Devil, Harry the Hawk makes perfect sense but offers little else. I'll give him the edge because his name is marginally more creative. 



85. Poe — Baltimore Ravens (NFL)

Poe — the mascot for the Baltimore Ravens — is not incredibly creative in his appearance, but he doesn't exactly have to be. He looks like a raven and that's what counts. Plus, his name is a reference to Edgar Allan Poe, the acclaimed writer who was a Baltimore native.



84. Mick E. Moose — Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

Not to be confused with Mickey Mouse of Disney fame, Mick E. Moose is the faithful mascot of the Winnipeg Jets. His big teeth and bushy, gray eyebrows make him look a bit creepy, in my opinion. That said, his flying hat — which plays on the name "Jets"— is fantastic.



83. Slamson the Lion — Sacramento Kings (NBA)

Lions are the kings of the jungle, so it makes sense that the Sacramento Kings would recruit a high-flying, dunking big cat as their mascot. Honestly, I think his face a bit too detailed for a mascot, but he's not offensive in any way.



82. Bailey the Lion — Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

It's not Bailey the Lion's fault that there are two "Kings" franchises in California, but nobody asked for another generic lion mascot. Sorry to this man.



81. Roary — Detroit Lions (NFL)

Another one! Roary looks like he doesn't know where he is 100% of the time. You're in Detroit, Roary! He edges out those other Lions thanks to his clever name.



80. Toro — Houston Texans (NFL)

The Houston Texans' Toro is a fitting mascot for a team representing the Lone Star State, as bull riding is a Texan staple. Aside from that, Toro doesn't bring too much to the table. He's a standard mascot, and that's that.



79. Wild Wing — Anaheim Ducks (NHL)

Wild Wing is supposed to be an intimidating mascot, and his fierce, dark eyes and hockey mask certainly do the job. Personally, however, I wish the Anaheim Ducks had opted for a cuter duck mascot. There's so much potential for him to be cuddly and lovable, but I will concede that his name is pretty cool.



78. Sourdough Sam — San Francisco 49ers (NFL)

Sourdough Sam was mining for gold at Levi's Stadium before he joined forces with San Francisco's best to rep the 49ers. He's still a human mascot, which I don't love, but the full beard and infectious smile give him a bit of a leg up on the competition.



77. KC Wolf — Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)

KC Wolf is a bit mousey looking, as far as wolves go. Still, he's the reigning Super Bowl champion, so we have to give him some props. Plus, I hear he and Patrick Mahomes are tight, which ups his street cred considerably.



76. Freddie Falcon — Atlanta Falcons (NFL)

Freddie Falcon is cute and his feathers help him stand out from the flock of bird mascots in the majors. But I won't like to you — his chicken legs weird me out a bit.



75. Harvey the Hound — Calgary Flames (NHL)

I'm conflicted about Harvey, the official mascot of the Calgary Flames, and the first mascot in the entire NHL. He's a little offputting, but he's simultaneously very endearing. Part of me wants to ruffle the fur on the top of his head, but another part of me fears picking up fleas. I'll put him towards the middle of the pack, and that's exactly where he belongs, as he's a dog.



74. T.C. Bear — Minnesota Twins (MLB)

T.C. Bear — which stands for Twin Cities Bear — is the mascot for the Minnesota Twins. He's essentially an overgrown teddy bear. That's really all there is to him.



73. Franklin the Dog — Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)

Listen, I'm really not trying to start anything with the Philadelphia faithful, but Franklin the Dog really, really doesn't look like a dog. Like at all. I know he's a historical figure, but he's decidedly the worst mascot of the City of Brotherly Love. Sorry, Franklin, you're still a good boy. 



72. Chomps — Cleveland Browns (NFL)

Chomps — the mascot for the Cleveland Browns — certainly looks more like a pooch than Franklin. He's done a good job in recent years, as the Browns have begun to salvage their reputation as perennial NFL bottom-dwellers. I don't like Chomps' teeth, but I suppose they complement the name.



71. Bernie the St. Bernard — Colorado Avalanche

Bernie the St. Bernard is yet another good boy. Bernie was born on the ski slopes of Colorado but, according to his official bio, he kept running down from the mountains because his true home is on the ice.



70. Swoop — Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)

Swoop has quite a feisty fanbase to entertain in the Philadelphia Eagles faithful. His name works, and he looks the part. 



69. Orbit — Houston Astros (MLB)

Orbit is a cute little alien who cheers for the Houston Astros. I like how his being plays on the team's name and the city's ties to NASA and space exploration.



68. Nordy — Minnesota Wild (NHL)

Nordy is a solid mascot. He's a fuzzy, fun-loving, "Wild animal" of some variety. He also looks a lot like Crash Bandicoot, which wins him points in my book.



67. Rocky the Mountain Lion — Denver Nuggets (NBA)

Rocky is very cute. Nobody's questioning that. But what else does he bring to the table? He represents the region, sure, but he's not a nugget. On the whole, I'm not that impressed.



66. Boomer — Indiana Pacers

Boomer's cool. He's another big cat, but he gets the edge because he's got blue fur and I like the tuft of yellow on his head.



65. Howler — Arizona Coyotes (NHL)

Finally, something other than a big cat. Howler is a Coyote, although he kind of looks like a bear. He does the job, and he does it well, but he's pretty underwhelming on the whole.



64. Spartacat — Ottowa Senators (NHL)

Spartacat — the official mascot of the Ottowa Senators — is virtually indistinguishable from my reflection in the mirror anytime before 8 a.m., which renders him familiar yet somewhat jarring. As a result, I'm not really sure how to feel about him.



63. Blaze the Trail Cat — Portland Trail Blazers (NBA)

Blaze is kind of cute. He's also a little strange looking. I like his headband, though.



62. Miles — Denver Broncos (NFL)

Named in honor of the Mile High City, Miles is, well, a Bronco. His smile is a little creepy, as are his orange eyes, but ultimately he represents Denver with valor.



61. The Raptor — Toronto Raptors (NBA)

The Raptor is undoubtedly a solid mascot, and he's the center of an enduring Raptors brand. But aside from the dearth of dinosaur mascots in the majors — and his reigning champion status — he's pretty standard.



60. Who Dey — Cincinnati Bengals (NFL)

Who Dey is a Bengal Tiger, and he's equal parts intimidating and cute. Extra points to Who Dey for beating the Saints to the punch with the "Who Dey" chant.



59. Screech — Washington Nationals (MLB)

The Washington Nationals have a bald eagle as a mascot in Screech. He's something of a baby bird, from what I can tell, but he's a fitting mascot for the capital city's baseball team.



58. SlapShot — Washington Capitals (NHL)

Like Screech, SlapShot is also a bald eagle, and he is a true patriot. His favorite song is the U.S. National Anthem and his birthday is, coincidentally, the same day Congress officially adopted the Great Seal of the United States. His closest friends are Sam the Eagle, Big Bird, and Larry Bird, and I have nothing but respect for the consistency. SlapShot is cool with me.



57. Blade the Bruin — Boston Bruins

I had no idea a bruin was a bear until now. Well, that's what Blades is. He's a cross between cute and fierce and, lucky for him, represents one of the best NHL teams in recent history.



56. Staley Da Bear — Chicago Bears (NFL)

Folks, we've got another bear. Staley Da Bear represents "da Bears," of course. He's named after the franchise's founder, A.E. Staley. I'll give him a pass for being a little mean-looking since I think that's the point.



55. Mr. Met — New York Mets (MLB)

I know he's iconic, but Mr. Met isn't a particularly creative mascot. After all, he is just an anthropomorphic baseball. Sorry to the borough of Queens.



54. Mr. Red — Cincinnati Reds (MLB)

Same as Mr. Met. Still, Mr. Red has been around since 1953, so we have to give credit where credit is due and give him the edge.



53. SJ Sharkie — San Jose Sharks (NHL)

SJ Sharkie is, clearly, a true athlete, and I genuinely believe he'd tear most of these other mascots apart in a fight. In fact, he regularly (lovingly) bites fans heads at San Jose Sharks games. Beware.



52. Sir Purr — Carolina Panthers (NFL)

He's Purrfect. Sorry. Very cute though.



51. Hooper — Detroit Pistons (NBA)

Hooper is a horse, which makes sense given that he represents the Detroit Pistons, but his large, round nose and two-toned mane give him a bit extra flare. 10/10 would pet.



50. Mariner Moose — Seattle Mariners (MLB)

One could argue that the Seattle Mariners' mascot should be a sea creature, but I quite like the fuzzy and adorable Mariner Moose. He's true to the Pacific Northwest region, and anyone would get lost in those big, black eyes.



49. Blitz — Seattle Seahawks (NFL)

Blitz has a good name and a solid appearance. He actually looks like a seahawk, and those green feathers give him a nice pop of color without compromising his intimidating persona. Plus, his name rules.



48. Gnash — Nashville Predators (NHL)

Gnash really ticks all the boxes: he's got a great name, a cute-yet-fierce appearance, and a backstory that reflects the history of Nashville. Plus, I like it when he rappels down to the ice. High marks for Gnash.



47. T-Rac — Tennessee Titans (NFL)

T-Rac doesn't not look like he could fit in with the mascots that lurk around Times Square, which makes sense because he's a raccoon. I'm not sure what possessed the Titans to choose such a... unique... creature to represent the state of Tennessee, but I like the ambition.



46. Bernie Brewer — Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)

I'm typically not a fan of mascots that are meant to look like humans, but Bernie Brewer's mustache is surely worthy of an exception. His sweet digs — a dugout in the left-field bleachers — and his tradition of sliding down a slide into the outfield after each homerun push him fairly high up on my list. Plus, he was created to honor Milt Mason, a Brewers superfan who camped out atop the scoreboard at Milwaukee County Stadium for 40 days to help grow the attendance at the team's games.

For that reason, Roll Bernie.



45. Viktor Viking — Minnesota Vikings

The stache don't lie. Viktor is another exception to my "no human mascots" rule, but I can't say no to the flow. Skol, Vikings!



44. Chuck the Condor — Los Angeles Clippers (NBA)

Chuck the Condor is unique, smiley, and always rocks a cool outfit. Everyone hated him when he first came on the scene in 2016, but he's really grown on me. Plus, I like that Chuck wears Chuck Taylors.



43. Hunter the Lynx — Edmonton Oilers (NHL)

When it comes to big cat mascots — and, trust me, there are many — a lynx is about as unique as it gets. Hunter has a good name and a solid backstory. Best of all, the people of Edmonton voted for the Oilers' mascot to be a lynx, so he's a big cat of the people.



42. Sluggerrr — Kansas City Royals (MLB)

Sluggerrr is the ever-regal mascot representing the Kansas City Royals. He's a lion with a crown embedded into his skull, which is admittedly a bit weird, but it's good that he knows his worth. Extra points for listing his marital status as "on the prowl" in his official MLB bio.



41. Crunch — Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA)

He's strong. He's fierce. He represents the team and the region. He is Crunch, the mascot for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he's pretty much all you can ask for in a mascot.



40. Billy Buffalo — Buffalo Bills (NFL)

Billy Buffalo of the Buffalo Bills. Hilarious. He looks like a bear with horns. Also hilarious. He's not at all intimidating and actually quite cute.



39. Ace — Toronto Blue Jays

A Toronto High School student came up with the name for Ace, the Blue Jays' sapphire-feathered mascot who perfectly represents the team.



38. Clark — Chicago Cubs (MLB)

Fun, athletic, lively, and jovial, Clark is everything a baseball mascot should be.



37. Stanley C. Panther — Florida Panthers (NHL)

Frankly, I was a bit confused about why a fuzzy jungle cat was the mascot for a Florida-based team, but after a bit of research, I learned the heartbreaking story of Stanley C. Panther. Panthers used to be common throughout the Southeast, but "fewer than 100" remain in the wild of southern Florida today, according to the National Park Service. I can only assume Stanley C. Panther endures the frigid temperature and high volume inside the BB&T Center to combat the much icier sensation of loneliness he feels internally. Pity points for Stan.



36. Stormy — Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

Pity points for Stormy, too. The Carolina Hurricanes chose a pig (yes, that's a pig) as their mascot because the state of North Carolina is known for its (admittedly delicious) pork barbeque.



35. Fredbird — St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)

Fredbird has been tasked with pumping up St. Louis Cardinals fans since way back in the 1970s, and somehow, he's still at it. Since then, the team has won three World Series. Not bad, bird.



34. Big Red — Arizona Cardinals (NFL)

Well, he's more intimidating than Fredbird.



33. Louie — St. Louis Blues (NHL)

He's a cute and cuddly bear who wears a helmet! He's adorable! He's unique because he's blue! And, best of all, he's not a walking music note! Louie gets the stamp of approval from me.



32. Bango — Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)

Bango is adorable, likable, and pure. He's a perfect representation of the Bucks franchise, and I imagine he and Giannis Antetokounmpo get along splendidly.



31. Carlton the Bear — Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)

It doesn't make much sense that the Toronto Maple Leafs would opt for a polar bear as their mascot, but I'm certainly not objecting to Carlton the Bear. He's cute and has a fantastic name, so as far as I'm concerned, he can hang around the rink as much as he would like.



30. Stomper — Oakland A's (MLB)

It's unclear why Oakland's mascot is an elephant, but Stomper has a very sweet face and a penchant for celebrating sweeps by waving a broom around the field.



29. Benny the Bull — Chicago Bulls (NBA)

Benny the Bull is a classic. He was the first mascot in the NBA after making his debut in 1969 and has been around the franchise, dunking on the court and interacting with fans, ever since. It's hard not to give high marks to an enduring legend like Benny.



28. TD — Miami Dolphins (NFL)

Look at this guy! He doesn't even have hands, but I'd trust him to haul in the game-winning snag with those slick flippers. Hell, it's in his name. Roll TD. 



27. Wally the Green Monster — Boston Red Sox (MLB)

Named after the legendary, 231-foot wall in left field at Fenway Park, Wally the Green Monster is the iconic mascot for the Boston Red Sox. He is said to have spent years living behind the old-fashioned scoreboard displayed on the Green Monster before emerging from his home and becoming an emblem for the franchise. Though his appearance doesn't feature all the bells and whistles that many of his mascot counterparts boast, his legacy is among the most iconic in all of baseball.



26. Moondog — Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)

Moondog may not have anything to do with the Cavaliers — he doesn't appear to resemble a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel — but he's undoubtedly cute. Look at the way his ears flop when he dunks! Who's a good boy?!



25. The Pirate Parrot — Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)

If dogs are man's best friend, then parrots are certainly pirates'. The Pirate Parrot of the Pittsburgh Pirates is the perfect complement to the Steel City's squad.



24. Gumbo — New Orleans Saints (NFL)

Good boy. Great name. Roll Saints.



23. Champ — Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Let's all agree to never acknowledge MavsMan's existence, okay?

Now that that's settled, may I draw your attention to Champ, the one true mascot of the Dallas Mavericks. I think he's hilarious, and I don't know why. Maybe it's his wild mane or his exasperated expression. Either way, he brings me joy, and that's all we can ask for in a mascot.



22. Southpaw — Chicago White Sox (MLB)

Southpaw is a "big fuzzy green dude that loves the Chicago White Sox,"according to his MLB bio. Like his squad, Southpaw is a man of the South Side of Chicago, and he derives his name from the area as well as the fact that he's a lefty. He's cute and has a creative backstory. What more can White Sox fans possibly want?



21. Rumble the Bison — Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA)

If you squint a little, Rumble really looks like a bison. Yet the Oklahoma City Thunder mascot isn't scary or offputting. Albeit a little hairy, Rumble represents a bison from a long-told Native American tale who was given superpowers from the god of Thunder after helping his friends escape a storm. He roamed the hills of Oklahoma alone, the tale goes until a group of men "who carried similar powers" arrived in Oklahoma City in 2009. I'm giving him high marks for having such a heartwarming backstory.



20. Billy the Marlin — Miami Marlins (MLB)

Billy is adorable. He makes perfect sense. He's unique. He's doing his best on land. High marks for Billy.



19. Sparky the Dragon — New York Islanders (NHL)

I don't fully understand how a dragon washed up on the shores of Long Island, but somehow, Sparky is making it work.



18. Victor E. Green — Dallas Stars (NHL)

This guy rocks. He's fuzzy, he's a man of the people, and he's extremely passionate about his Dallas Stars. In fact, he can often be spotted in the background of professional photos reacting emphatically to what's happening on the ice. Sure, no one knows what he is or where he came from (aside from "galaxy far, far away," per the Stars' website), but that's part of his allure.



17. Youppi! — Montreal Canadiens (NHL)

Youppi! rocks. His name means "Yippee!" in French and he literally wears an exclamation point on his back instead of a number. We love the enthusiasm. Youppi!'s roots are in baseball, but he transferred his allegiances to the Canadiens after the Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C. in 2004. I have no idea what he is, but I know for certain that he is mon amour.



16. Lou Seal — San Francisco Giants (MLB)

He's cute and one-of-a-kind and his glasses are adorable. But best of all, his name reminds me of the iconic bit from "Arrested Development."



15. Hugo the Hornet — Charlotte Hornets (NBA)

I like Hugo. I like his name, I like his color scheme, I like his simple face, and I like his disposition. I don't really have any good reason for ranking him this high, but here he is. Deal with it.



14. Sabretooth — Buffalo Sabres (NHL)

No braces, no problem. Sabretooth — the orange-furred mascot of the Buffalo Sabres — has a goofy look to him, but as an anthropomorphic saber-toothed tiger, he perfectly represents his team and the icy-cold winters of Buffalo, New York.



13. Slider — Cleveland Indians (MLB)

It's unclear what Slider is, but this pink-furred, yellow-nosed delight is all the rage in Cleveland. He normally keeps out of trouble, but he took a legendary tumble out of the stands during the 1995 ALCS and tore both his MCL and ACL. Mascotting is no joke, folks.



12. G-Wiz — Washington Wizards (NBA)

I just want to boop his nose and give him a hug. Is that so much to ask?



11. ThunderBug — Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)

He's unique, he's fuzzy, and he's got eyes that stare straight into your soul. One time he gave the forecast for a local news channel. ThunderBug boasts that his favorite movie is "A Bug's Life" and that his favorite band is The Beatles, so his brand is extremely strong and also extremely adorable. I love him.



10. Raymond — Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)

Somehow, Raymond is nothing and everything all in one. According to Tampa Bay folklore, the fuzzy creature climbed out of the Gulf of Mexico and into Rays fans' hearts back in 1998. Even though that means he's 22 years old, Raymond doesn't look a day younger than 75. I think he's hilarious, and the name Raymond is *chefs kiss*.



9. Burnie — Miami Heat (NBA)

Once again, I have absolutely no idea what Burnie is, but I do know that he's wonderful. He genuinely rocks the famous Miami Vice jerseys better than anyone. My only complaint about Burnie is his lack of a mouth. Oh, and, given his name, his silence in the realm of politics is deafening.



8. Dinger — Colorado Rockies (MLB)

Dinger rules, no questions asked. He's a purple Triceratops inspired by a 7-foot-long, 1,000-pound Triceratops fossil recovered at Coors Field while the stadium was being built. There aren't many other major-league dinos in circulation, which is cool. Plus the name Dinger — slang for a home run — is perfect for a mascot living in the Mile High City, where the altitude helps baseballs soar further than parks that are closer to sea level.



7. Iceburgh — Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)

Look at this guy! What a goof! He's a silly-looking penguin with an extremely punny name and a darling disposition. He's even a movie star; he was in "Sudden Death" with Jean Claude Van Damme back in 1995.



6. Blue — Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

Blue is a colt, apparently, but in reality, he looks like a goofy, fuzzy dude. He's got quite a jovial spirit and a penchant for changing color when the team is celebrating a special occasion, like pink for breast cancer awareness or army green and camo for military appreciation. Top marks for Blue.



5. Blooper — Atlanta Braves (MLB)

Everything about Blooper is perfect. His name encapsulates exactly what a mascot should be. His ears, nose, eyes, and tuft of red hair poking out from under his cap are all flawlessly goofy. Plus, when he (or someone else) boops his nose, his ears pop out like a real-life cartoon. I love him.



4. Jaxson de Ville — Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)

Are you kidding me?! This is the coolest cat I've ever seen. The sun never sets on a bada--, unless, of course, he represents a rather pitiful team like the Jacksonville Jaguars.



3. Stuff the Magic Dragon — Orlando Magic (NBA)

Stuff the Magic Dragon undoubtedly ranks among the mascot elite. His name is a hilarious play on the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" and the act of blocking — or stuffing — a shot in basketball. He is adorable, fantastical, and exciting. He is everything a mascot should be and more, and I would give him a kidney if he needed one. 



2. Phillie Phanatic — Philadelphia Phillies (MLB)

I don't know what type of creature the Phillie Phanatic was meant to be at his inception (birth?), but I know he has become an absolute legend. The Phanatic may be the most recognizable mascot in all of sports, and there's no question that he's one of the most loveable. There must be something in the "wooder" over in the City of Brotherly Love because their mascots are the best in the business.



1. Gritty — Philadelphia Flyers (NHL)

This was never a fair fight, and we all knew it. What is Gritty, you ask? Gritty is an orange-furred, googly-eyed, hot dog-loving ice monster who emerged from the depths of Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center and captured the hearts of, well, everyone. A bona fide celebrity, a non-binary, leftist icon, a hilarious clutz, and, frankly, the best among us, Gritty defied the odds to become the most beloved mascot on the planet since he hit the scene in 2018. We have no choice but to stan.



Now check out which pets your favorite athletes have at home:

Top athletes and their furry friends: the 62 best pets in the world of sports



The 21 best cities in the Northeast to live in after the coronavirus

0
0

portland maine

  • We recently created a ranking of the best US cities to live in after the novel coronavirus pandemic, based on several economic metrics and other factors that may be important when considering moving to a new place.
  • Here are the top cities on our ranking that are located in the Northeast region of the US.
  • Different cities around New York state made the top of the list.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you're considering leaving New York City for a less populated area, but don't want to move too far away from the Big Apple, there are plenty of other cities in New York State that are a great place to move to after the novel coronavirus pandemic.

We recently created an overall ranking of best US cities to live in after the pandemic based on several measures that may influence someone's decision about where to move to next. These measures include the pre-coronavirus unemployment rate, ability to work from home, population density, housing affordability, monthly housing costs, cost of living, average travel time to work, total elementary- and secondary-school spending per student, and share of residents age 25 and over who have at least a bachelor's degree.

We included the share of residents who have at least a bachelor's degree and a metro area's population density because recent research by Moody's Analytics found that less densely populated places with a larger share of jobs requiring more education may recover earlier than other cities from the economic impact of the pandemic.

After collecting our metrics, each measure was rescaled to a uniform z-score so that we could add the values together to get a final overall index for each metro area. 

You can read more about our method and sources here. 

In our overall list, many of the cities at the top of the list are in the Midwest, so we decided to take a more regional focus and look at cities located in the Northeast region of the US as defined by the Census Bureau. In this smaller list, the top three cities were all in New York State.

It's worth noting that some of these cities are home to big colleges and universities, and their economies have been negatively impacted from schools moving to remote learning and temporarily closing their campuses.

For instance, Ithaca placed second on our list of Northeastern cities, but its nature as a college town could hamper its economy because of a lack of students and visitors during the outbreak. Using 2017-2018 fiscal year data from the labor-market analytics company EMSI, The Wall Street Journal found that Cornell University in Ithaca generates $1.8 billion from university operations, $60 million from student spending, and $50 million from visitor spending.

Read on to find out the 21 best cities in the Northeast of the US to move to after the coronavirus:

SEE ALSO: We found the 30 best American cities to live in after the pandemic

21. Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford has the fourth-highest share of jobs that can potentially be done from home among metro areas in the Northeast at 43.6%. The city also has the ninth-highest total spending per student in elementary and secondary public schools for cities among all US metros, where the school district in the metro area with the most students enrolled spends $20,383 per pupil. The pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was also close to the national average in February at 3.8%. 



20. Altoona, Pennsylvania

Altoona's cost of living is 9.5% lower than the national average. 72.1% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, and the average housing cost was $738 per month, with both of these measures ranked among the top 100 US metro areas. 



19. Glens Falls, New York

Glens Falls is among the 100 US metro areas with the lowest population density at 74 people per square mile, which is also the second-lowest population density of metro areas just in the Northeast. Of metro areas in the Northeast region, this city has one of the lowest average housing costs at $956 a month. 



18. Elmira, New York

Of all US metro areas, Elmira has the 15th-highest total spending per student in elementary and secondary public schools, where the school district in the metro area with the most students enrolled spends $18,551 per pupil. Of the metro areas in the Northeast region of the US, Elmira has the third-lowest average housing cost at $795 a month and tied for the 11th-lowest cost of living at 4.5% lower than the national average.



17. Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Johnstown has the highest housing affordability out of all the cities in the Northeast, where 74.4% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing. The city's cost of living is 13.7% lower than the national average, which is among the 100 US metro areas with the lowest cost of living. However, the pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 5.8% was 2.3 percentage points higher than the national rate in February. 



16. Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Williamsport has the fourth-lowest cost of living among cities in the Northeast at 7.8% lower than the national average and also the ninth-lowest average housing cost among these cities at $821 a month. However, the city's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 5.3% was 1.8 percentage points higher than the national rate in February. 



15. Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg's cost of living is 7.4% lower than the national average. Of the cities in the Northeast, Bloomsburg had one of shortest weekly commutes at 3 hours and 32 minutes. Additionally, the city has the seventh-lowest average housing cost among metro areas in the Northeast at $816 a month. 



14. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg was among the 100 US metro areas with the highest share of jobs that could be done from home at 38.5%. This is also the 12th-highest share among metro areas in the Northeast. Additionally, Harrisburg has the fifth-highest share of housing affordability among metro areas in the Northeast, where 72.1% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing.



13. Pittsfield, Massachussetts

Pittsfield's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 3.4% was close to the national rate in February. The city's cost of living is also only 1.6% lower than the national average. Of the cities in the Northeast, the city has the sixth-lowest population density of around 135 people per square mile.



12. Bangor, Maine

Bangor's per-pupil spending in the metro area's school district with the most students enrolled is in the top 100, at $13,554 per pupil. 69.8% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing in Bangor, indicating better housing affordability than most metro areas in the Northeast region of the US.



11. Portland, Maine

Portland's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 2.5% was 1.0 percentage points lower than the national unemployment rate in February. Additionally, 41.5% of residents who are at least 25 years old have at least a bachelor's degree, which is among the 100 metro areas with the highest share and the eighth-highest share among metro areas in the Northeast.



10. Albany, New York

Albany had the fifth-highest share of jobs that could be done at home of all Northeast metro areas at 42.4%, which is also among the highest shares among 100 US metro areas. The cost of living in Albany and its pre-coronavirus unemployment rate are both around the national average.



9. Utica, New York

Among metro areas in the Northeast region of the US, Utica has the fourth-lowest average housing cost at around $797 a month, which is also lower than most US metro areas. The city also has the fifth-lowest population density of cities in the Northeast at 110 people per square mile.



8. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In Pittsburgh, 72.5% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, indicating better housing affordability than most US metro areas. The city also has an average housing cost of $906 a month. Overall, the cost of living in this city is 6.9% lower than the national average. 



7. Buffalo, New York

Buffalo has the fifth-highest total spending per student in elementary and secondary public schools among all metro areas, where the school district in the metro area with the most students enrolled spends $21,649 per pupil. Among metro areas in the Northeast region of the US, Buffalo had the 10th-lowest cost of living at 5.2% lower than the national average. The city also had one of the shortest weekly commutes among metro areas in the Northeast at 3 hours and 36 minutes.



6. Burlington, Vermont

Burlington's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 1.9% in February was the lowest among all metro areas in the US. It was one of the metro areas in the Northeast with the best housing affordability, where 66.8% spend less than 30% of their income on housing.



5. Binghamton, New York

Binghamton has the fifth-lowest average housing cost out of metro areas in the Northeast  at $802 a month. Across all US metro areas, the city has the 10th-highest total spending per student in elementary and secondary public schools, where the school district in the metro area with the most students enrolled spends $20,358 per pupil.



4. State College, Pennsylvania

State College was ranked the 26th-best city to move to in our overall list. The city's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 3.6% was close to national rate in February. Additionally, 46.7% of residents who are at least 25 years old have a bachelor's degree or higher, the 18th-highest share among metro areas and the fourth-highest among metro areas in the Northeast region of the US.



3. Syracuse, New York

Syracuse was ranked the No. 21 city to move to in our overall list. The city has a higher share of jobs that can potentially be done from home than most US metro areas at 38.0%, and the 16th-lowest average housing cost out of the metro areas in the Northeast, at $952 a month. It is also among the metro areas in the Northeast with the lowest cost of living at 3.5% lower than the national average.



2. Ithaca, New York

Ithaca was ranked the 19th-best city to move to in our overall list. The metro area has the sixth-largest share of residents in the US with a bachelor's degree or higher, at 51.9%. Among metro areas in the Northeast, it has the third-shortest weekly commute at 3 hours and 19 minutes and the seventh-highest share of jobs that could be done from home at 41.64%.



1. Rochester, New York

Rochester was the seventh-best city to move to in our overall list. The city has a high share of jobs that could be done from home compared to other US metro areas at 39.3%. It also has the the second-highest spending per student all among US metro areas, where the metro area school district with the most students enrolled spends a total of $24,943 per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools.  



The 20 best cities in the Midwest to live in after the pandemic

0
0

The Midwest seems to be a great place to move to after the novel coronavirus pandemic subsides, based on our recent analysis of US cities.

Business Insider created an overall ranking of the best cities to move to after the pandemic using different economic, educational, and employment metrics along with other measures that someone may factor in when deciding where to move next.

All nine of our metrics were standardized using z-scores so that we could then add the values together to get an overall index for each city.

For more information on our overall method and list of data sources, click here.

It is important to note that these figures are from before the pandemic, so it is likely some of these cities may have been more financially and economically impacted than others during this unprecedented time.

For instance, Springfield, Illinois, which ranked at the top of our list, had a pre-coronavirus unemployment rate close to the national average. However, in April, its unemployment rate had shot up to 15.3%, 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 14.7%. Cities that also rely heavily on college spending and employment may also see big negative impacts from campus closures and uncertainty about the upcoming fall semester, based on reporting from the Wall Street Journal.

In our national ranking, cities in the Midwest region as defined by the US Census Bureau dominated the top of the list. Read on to see the best cities in the Midwest to move to after the pandemic. 

SEE ALSO: The 17 best cities in the Western US to live in after the pandemic

20. Omaha, Nebraska

About 38.9% of jobs can be done from home in Omaha, the 13th-highest share among metro areas in the Midwest. About 36.5% of people in Omaha who are at least 25 years old have at least a bachelor's degree, the 19th-highest share in this region.



19. Green Bay, Wisconsin

This metro area's cost of living is 10.2% lower than the national average. Green Bay tied for the 17th-lowest weekly commute among metro areas in the Midwest at three hours and seven minutes. 



18. Columbus, Indiana

Columbus' average housing cost of $846 a month is lower than most metro areas in the Midwes, and the metro area's cost of living is 11.1% lower than the national average. Columbus' pre-coronavirus unemployment rate of 2.3% was also was lower than the US unemployment rate in February. 



17. Iowa City, Iowa

Iowa City's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.2%, tied for the sixth lowest among all US metro areas and lower than the national rate in February. About 36.1% of jobs could be done from home, which is higher than most metro areas in the Midwest. 



16. Lansing, Michigan

About 41.0% of jobs could be done from home in Lansing, the sixth-highest share among metro areas in the Midwest. Lansing's school district with the most students enrolled had the 19th-highest total spending per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools in this region, at $14,255 per pupil. This also ranks high among all US metro areas.



15. Wausau, Wisconsin

In Wausau, 77.5% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the fourth-highest share among all US metro areas. Among metro areas in the Midwest, Wausau has one of the lower population densities at 67.4 people per square mile. 



14. Madison, Wisconsin

About 42.6% of jobs could be done from home in Madison, the fourth-highest share among metro areas in the Midwest. The Madison metro area school district with the most students enrolled had the 15th-highest total spending per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools in the region, at $14,444 per pupil. 



13. Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque's cost of living is 10.4% lower than the national average, which is better than most metro areas in the Midwest. Additionally, the metro area has the fifth-shortest weekly commute in the region at two hours and 54 minutes. Dubuque has better housing affordability than most US metro areas, with about 74.1% of households spending less than 30% of their income on housing.



12. Lincoln, Nebraska

About 39.1% of jobs could be done from home in Lincoln, the 12th-highest share among metro areas in the Midwest. The pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was 2.7%, 0.8 percentage points less than the national rate in February.



11. La Crosse, Wisconsin

The La Crosse metro area school district with the most students enrolled had the 17th-highest total spending per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools in the region, at $14,413 per pupil. About 73.7% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing, which is higher than most US metro areas.



10. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

About 75.9% of households in Cedar Rapids spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the 13th-highest share among all US metro areas. The weekly commute is relatively short compared to other metro areas in the Midwest at three hours and nine minutes.



9. Columbia, Missouri

Columbia's weekly commute of two hours and 58 minutes is the 18th-shortest among all US metro areas and the ninth-shortest among metro areas in the Midwest. The metro area also has a low cost of living at 10.7% lower than the national average.



8. Bismarck, North Dakota

Bismarck is great for people who don't want to live too close to others, with a population density of around 30.1 people per square mile, the fourth-lowest population density in the Midwest. About 76.7% of households in Bismarck spend less than 30% of their income on housing, the ninth-highest share among all metro areas.



7. Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines has the 17th-highest share among all US metro areas of jobs that could be done from home, at 42.7%. Des Moines also has one of the highest housing affordability scores in the Midwest, and about 74.2% of households spend less than 30% of their income on housing. 



6. Ames, Iowa

Ames' cost of living is 8.5% lower than the national average. Before the coronavirus, Ames was tied for the second-lowest unemployment rate at 2.0% in the US in February. This metro area also has one of the shorter weekly commutes among all metro areas at three hours and two minutes.  



5. Champaign, Illinois

The Champaign metro area school district with the most students enrolled had the 20th-highest total spending per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools, at $17,606 per pupil. This city is also among the metro areas in the Midwest with the highest share of jobs that could be done from home at 38.2%.



4. Bloomington, Illinois

This metro area has the 10th-highest share of jobs that could be done from home among metro areas in the Midwest at 39.4%. Bloomington's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was close to the national average at 3.2%. The cost of living in this metro area is also 7.9% lower than the national average.



3. Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo has one of the lowest population densities among metro areas in the Midwest at 87.6 people per square mile. Among all US metro areas, the pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was the fourth lowest at 2.1%. Fargo also had one of the shortest weekly work commutes, tied for the 10th-lowest among all metro areas at two hours and 52 minutes.



2. Jefferson City, Missouri

Jefferson City's cost of living was 18.3% lower than the national average, the second-lowest cost of living among metro areas in the Midwest, and the fifth-lowest among all US metro areas. The metro area also has the seventh-highest share of jobs that could be done from home among metro areas in the Midwest at 40.3%.



1. Springfield, Illinois

Springfield took the top spot in our overall list. The metro area's pre-coronavirus unemployment rate was the same as the national rate at 3.5% in February. Among metro areas in the Midwest, this metro area has the second highest share of jobs that could be done from home at 42.9%, and this was the 16th-highest share among all US metro areas.



As Americans go back to work, these are the 9 riskiest jobs to have in the middle of the pandemic

0
0

essential workers coronavirus 3

  • As more people go back to work as states ease their public health orders aimed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, some occupations are riskier than others.
  • An analysis of coronavirus death rates by occupation and studies of occupations that pose the most risk to exposure help show which jobs carry higher risks.
  • Some of the most dangerous jobs to have as lockdowns end include those in the healthcare, education, and restaurant industries.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As states ease or end their coronavirus lockdowns — despite rising cases, predominantly across the South — some jobs are riskier than others.

Neither the federal government nor any individual states have released occupational data related to COVID-19 deaths. The only data available at this point has been provided by the UK government's Office of National Statistics, which found that men in manual labor jobs with low pay were more likely to die from COVID-19. Security guards had the highest increased risk, as are medical professionals, factory workers, hairdressers, taxi drivers, restaurant and hospitality workers, and flight attendants.

"Jobs involving close proximity with others, and those where there is regular exposure to disease, have some of the highest rates of death from COVID-19," said Ben Humberstone, a statistician on the report. "However, our findings do not prove conclusively that the observed rates of death involving COVID-19 are necessarily caused by differences in occupational exposure."

Of the information available from the US National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are indications that the virus has disproportionately impacted workers in meatpacking plants, for example.

To examine which occupations are at most risk, Business Insider is using the Coronavirus Risk Score, a metric created by Visual Capitalist in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. The scores are based on data from the US Labor Department's O*NET database, which examines data points for various health risks — like the risk of exposure to diseases and infections, physical proximity to other people, direct contact with the public, and freedom to make decisions like being able to stay home if they or their family members are ill — for hundreds of occupations. We're also including income data and employment numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Here are nine of the most dangerous jobs to have as states reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.

SEE ALSO: 6 American jobs most at risk of coronavirus exposure

DON'T MISS: A new study reveals the 5 jobs most at risk to immediate impacts from the coronavirus

9. Hairdressers

Hairstyling requires direct contact with customers for a prolonged period of time, putting hairdressers at significant risk.

Other hands-on personal care services — including massage therapists, manicurists, and pedicurists — are also considered at high risk, according to the O*NET data. 

Occupational risk score: 62.1

Average income: $24,730

Number employed: 377,210



8. Restaurant and hospitality workers

Restaurant jobs are some of the riskiest, according to the data.

The work most often requires employees to work in close quarters with not only other employees but also guests in an enclosed space. Employees of restaurants regularly exchange money with guests, come in contact with their used dishware, and do so in a setting without many of the precautions such as a glass separator or even masks.

In China, an asymptomatic patient died with their family on January 24 and it was reported that air droplets from that diner's breath were picked up by the air conditioning and blew around the room. Nine other people in the restaurant later tested positive and were traced to that individual.

First-line supervisors of food prep and serving workers are at the highest risk, according to the analysis, and account for one of the greatest numbers of employees in the country.

Occupational risk score: 62.8

Average income: $32,450

Number employed: 964,400



7. Firefighters

Firefighters are at a greater risk than police officers to contact COVID-19.

Firefighters across the US have been diagnosed with the virus and one of the biggest reasons for the spread within municipalities is that between calls, firefighters live together, eat together, and are used to spending nearly all of their time on call in the firehouse together.

Many firehouses are requiring firefighters to undergo temperature checks before the start of their shifts.

Firefighters are also reporting more fire incidents, as more people are staying at home cooking.

Occupational risk score: 63.2

Average income: $49,620

Number employed: 321,570



6. Kindergarten teachers

Teacher assistants, preschool teachers, and elementary teachers were also at high risk, according to the O*NET data, with kindergarten teachers deemed to be at the highest risk. Much like bus drivers, they're dealing with the risk of children who are too young to be counted on to follow protocols set for reopening of schools.

These youngins already have a hard time practicing proper hygiene and the impact of that falls on the kindergarten teachers who are in charge.

The near-term future of classroom learning is still unclear, but kindergarten teachers, in particular, are a greater risk than all other teachers, according to the data.

Occupational risk score: 65.8

Average income: $55,470

Number employed: 131,160



5. School bus drivers

Driving a school bus also was found to be one of the most at-risk occupations to contract the virus, according to World Economic Forum's figures, due to the fact drivers work in close proximity to others and the exposure to many people in a day.

Although the majority of states have mandated school closures through the end of the school year, the job remains one of the more at-risk professions as the world faces the risk of a second wave in the fall.

Many drivers are in the at-risk category due to their ages and medical conditions, according to a report in School Transportation News, and there may be a driver shortage when school returns.

Drivers are concerned that children will not take the COVID precautions seriously, and some states are considering putting aids on buses to make sure children are taking the proper precautions, according to New York-based Spectrum News.

Occupational risk score: 67.3

Average income: $32,420

Number employed: 504,150



4. Flight attendants

Flight attendants were found to be at the most risk of being exposed to disease or infections of all professions outside medical and health-care related jobs, according to the O*NET data. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as these workers are in close contact with hundreds of passengers each flight. They are also at risk during their "commutes" at multiple airports each day.

One of the biggest risks for flight attendants is the unknown, as screenings are U.S. airports for the virus are nonexistent. The federal government does not have a plan to screen for fevers for domestic flights and it has been left up to the individual airlines, according to USA Today.

Occupational risk score: 75.6

Average income: $56,000

Number employed: 118,770



3. Registered nurses

Nurses are on the frontlines of the pandemic, both in the ER dealing with patients in intensive care in close proximity to aerosol-producing ventilators, as well as on cleanup duty performing a lot of the dirty work in hospitals and doctors' offices.

Other types of nurses and medical assistants, including licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, physician assistants, and nursing assistants, are also considered high risk, according to the O*NET data.

Due to their contact with a high number of COVID-19-positive patients each day, nurses are at greater risk than ER doctors and other hospital-based staff.

Nurses also make up the greatest number of employees of any category on our list with 2,951,960 registered nurses currently working in the US.

Occupational risk score: 86.1

Average income: $71,730

Number of employed: 2,951,960



2. Family and general practitioners

Unsurprisingly, family doctors are at a high risk of contacting COVID-19, as they are the first point of contact for most people who suspect they may have the virus, especially in areas and states with limited testing capabilities. Other kinds of doctors and medical workers, including specialists like surgeons and anesthesiologists, are also highly at risk, according to O*NET data.

One of the biggest risk factors for general practitioners is a lack of guidance from authorities on how to safeguard within the practices and a lack of preparation for a pandemic, according to BMJ, one of the world's oldest medical journals.

"Every doctor I spoke with reported feeling whip-sawed by constantly changing guidance from experts and regulators about coronavirus testing and triage policies," wrote Douglas Kamerow, senior scholar, Robert Graham Center for policy studies in primary care and associate editor of the BMJ. "They were often confused by changing recommendations from trusted sources, as well as conflicting recommendations from local, state, medical specialty, and federal authorities.

Occupational risk score: 90.1

Average income: $201,100

Number employed: 114,130



1. Dental hygienists

Dental hygienists have the highest risk score for contracting with the coronavirus, according to the World Economic Forum analysis.

They spend extended periods of time in close proximity to patients' mouths and perform procedures that produce aerosols, which can carry the virus.

Some dentists' offices have taken steps to prevent aerosol spread, such as having staff wear face shields and scrape teeth by hand instead of using machines that spray air and water, according to WBUR. Many dental procedures and check-ups were also postponed while state lockdowns were in effect.

Occupational risk score: 99.7

Average income: $74,820

Number employed:
215,150



The top 5 US cities for young professionals in 2020 don't include New York or Los Angeles

0
0

  • Niche ranked the best cities for young professionals in 2020 based on the number of millennial residents, job opportunities, and access to bars, restaurants, and affordable housing.
  • San Francisco and Washington, DC, ranked in the top three, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, topped the list. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Young professionals shouldn't live just anywhere.

While major cities like New York and Los Angeles may seem like obvious choices for the career-seeking millennial, a new data report by Niche says otherwise.

Niche looked at the best places for those ages 25 to 34 to live and ranked the top US cities based on number of millennial residents, job opportunities, and access to bars, restaurants, and affordable housing.

Here are the top five cities to make the list.

SEE ALSO: Here are the top 5 places to live in America in 2020 — and none of them are in New York or California

DON'T MISS: The 3 healthiest places to live in the US are all in California — led by progressive enclave Berkeley

5. Arlington, Virginia

Arlington is an urban city home to about 230,000 people. About 57% of residents rent, while about 43% of residents own their homes. The city also ranked third on the list of best cities in America to raise a family. About 25% of Arlington's population is young professionals. 

The median home value in Arlington is $669,400, and the median rent is $1,936.



4. Seattle

Seattle's population is just over 700,000. About 54% of residents rent, while about 46% of residents own their homes. The city also ranked fifth on the list of healthiest cities in America. About 23% of Seattle's population is young professionals.

The median home value in Seattle is $605,200, and the median rent is $1,496.



3. Washington, DC

Washington, DC, is an urban city with a population of about 685,000. Roughly 58% of residents rent, while about 42% of residents own their homes. About 23% of its population is young professionals. 

The median home value in Washington, DC, is $568,400, and the median rent is $1,487.



2. San Francisco

San Francisco is home to about 870,000 people and ranked third on the list of healthiest US cities. About 62% of residents rent, while 38% of residents own their homes. About 23% of its population is young professionals. 

The city's median home value is $1,009,500, and the median rent is $1,805.



1. Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is home to just over 115,000 residents and ranked eighth on the list of best cities in America to live. About 64% of residents rent, while 36% of residents own their homes. About 28% of its population is young professionals.

The city's median home value is $719,300, and the median rent is $2,071.



If you want to start a business, these 25 US cities boast capital flow and abundant talent

0
0

Boise Idaho

Summary List Placement

Before the pandemic, entrepreneurs were already leaving expensive cities like San Francisco and New York for cheaper ecosystems like those in Boise and Salt Lake City. But the coronavirus crisis added fuel to that trend. 

Nearly one-third of Americans were considering moving to a less densely populated area because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a Harris Poll survey released on April 30. 

Choosing a new location isn't easy, especially if you're aiming to find an entrepreneurial ecosystem that will support your business. Business Insider determined the 25 best cities to start a business, using metrics like percent change in typical home value, venture capital deals, percent change in employment, and median household income. 

We found popular locations like San Francisco still made the ranks along with surprising cities like Reno, Nevada, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here's where the cities ranked and what they offer entrepreneurs who are considering a new headquarters.

SEE ALSO: A record number of new businesses are launching in America right now. Here's a playbook to get started.

25. Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte has a reputation for sprouting fintech startups given its strong banking industry — Bank of America is headquartered there and Wells Fargo has a strong presence. Additionally, local startups are netting more VC funding: So far this year, startups raised about $426 million compared to just $121.89 million last year

Meanwhile, housing prices are quickly rising. The median home value increased from $240,044 in March to $249,960 in August.



24. Napa, California

Nestled between San Francisco and Sacramento is Napa, a region known for its wine, riverfront promenade, and quaint shops. While the Glass Fire is disrupting life and business for many residents, the city has a strong reputation for supporting alcohol- and food-related businesses. 

Additionally, the high median household income of $92,769 means locals have the means to patronize local businesses.



23. Indianapolis, Indiana

While Indianapolis startups don't net as much VC funding as other cities on this list, the capital has seen strong increases in employment. In July, 986,500 people were employed, a 15.4% increase from April. 

Additionally, lower housing costs and the newly-built rapid-transit bus IndyGo Red Line makes Indianapolis attractive for anyone looking to escape traffic jams and rising rent prices.



22. Huntsville, Alabama

Huntsville boasts an interesting dichotomy of development that mixes independent small businesses with high-tech industries such as aerospace and biotech. For example, farmers' markets and the Lowe Mill arts facility help support local entrepreneurs while the 4,000-acre Cummings Research Park houses hundreds of tech companies. Additionally, the week-long Innovate Huntsville event is known for its pitch competitions and tech demonstrations. 

Meanwhile, Alabama's A&M University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville provide a steady stream of talent for the area's entrepreneurs.



21. Lansing, Michigan

A mix of low housing costs, strong talent pipelines, and high employment make this city an ideal home for small business owners. Employment in Lansing skyrocketed this year, jumping 21.2% between April and July, as did the median home value, which increased 7% over the past year to $105,805. 

Meanwhile, the city has several local colleges, including Michigan State University, which nurture budding talent for area businesses. Lansing's key industries are agriculture tech, food innovation, insurance services, insurance tech, life sciences, mobility, and autonomous tech. 



20. Kalamazoo, Michigan

Come for the high employment rates and stay for the local craft beer. In July, locals held 157,400 jobs, a 24% increase from April.  Home value in Kalamazoo was $184,138 at the end of August, indicating a small percent change from March to August, at 2.8%.

The city is home to the country's first sustainable craft brewing higher education programs, which were launched at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Western Michigan University in 2015. It also boasts a whopping number of breweries, including Bell's and Final Gravity Brewing Company.

 

 



19. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is best-known for housing the University of Michigan campus, which can be a draw for aspiring entrepreneurs. So far, alumni have founded 22 startups and claim 502 inventions, according to the University's website. Additionally, it nurtures promising young talent for local businesses.

Employment in the city is also on the rise, jumping 21.8% between April and July to 190,000 jobs. 



18. Provo, Utah

For years, outside investors ignored Utah's burgeoning tech scene and forced local entrepreneurs to bootstrap. Now, investors are warming up to the area's founders: Business owners raised $218 million in venture capital so far this year. 

There's a great deal of local support for founders, including the Braid Workshop, a consulting and network service designed for women entrepreneurs.



17. Santa Barbara, California

The University of California in Santa Barbara is a draw for aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to gain access to the school's many programs and facilities designed to boost innovation. 

For example, the New Venture program encourages undergraduate and graduate students to launch companies while the California NanoSystems Institute's makerspace facility invites founders to build and test prototypes. 

Those support systems help draw investor interest as well. Regional entrepreneurs netted about $511 million in venture capital so far this year. 



16. Ogden, Utah

Ogden's reputation may be based on its ski resorts and other outdoor recreation, but it's also home to a vibrant downtown packed with restaurants and bars. 

Meanwhile, housing costs are on the rise -- the median home value of $348.946 already increased by 5% since March -- and 324,000 people were employed in July. What's more, Weber State University supports a small business development center that provides consulting, classes, and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs.



15. Washington, DC

Since Amazon announced it would build its HQ2 in Crystal City, Virginia, the nation's capital has been abuzz with entrepreneurial activity. While some worry the tech behemoth will scoop up the city's top talent, others believe it will increase DC's profile as a tech hub. 

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is building a new $1 billion Innovation Campus just south of HQ2. The facility will include an incubator space for startups, ground-floor retail space, and graduate-level courses in quantum computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.



14. Salt Lake City, Utah

Local entrepreneurs and leaders reinvested a great deal to make Salt Lake City a bustling haven for entrepreneurs. In 2010, Omniture co-founder Josh James created the nonprofit Silicon Slopes, which promotes the interests of Utah's tech industry and hosts an annual tech conference. 

The creation of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah also helped to boost Salt Lake City. The 160,000-square-foot center can house 400 student entrepreneurs who develop new companies in the facility.

 



13. Boise City, Idaho

Idaho's capital city has long held a cool-factor among nature and music enthusiasts, but recently, it's become a draw for entrepreneurs as well. In 2014, local business leaders determined Boise needed better access to capital and a stronger talent pipeline if it was going to compete with cities like Austin and Portland. 

Shortly after, Boise State University opened its Venture College, which hosts an on-campus incubator and teaches classes in entrepreneurship, to help students prepare for careers in startups. Coding schools and a developer's boot camp also opened. Meanwhile, community leaders cultivate relationships with investors to draw them into the city.



12. Manchester, New Hampshire

The riverside city of Manchester is just 50 miles north of Boston but doesn't get overshadowed by the Beantown. Manchester's residents have a high median household income of $83,626 and about 96,000 were employed in July, a 13.9% increase from April. 

The proximity to local colleges makes Manchester an ideal hub for New England entrepreneurs looking to scoop up top talent -- Saint Anselm, Southern New Hampshire University, and the University of New Hampshire at Manchester are all local.



11. Olympia, Washington

Washington's capital city is experiencing an increase in employment and housing costs this year. About 134,000 individuals were employed in July, a 7.4% jump from April's numbers, and the median house value of $385,743 is expected to rise 6.1% within the next year. 

The entrepreneurial community is also welcoming of newcomers: OlyMEGA -- which stands for Olympia makers, engineers, geeks, and artists -- is a makerspace and networking group while Olympia Women's Networks focuses on provides female entrepreneurs with business referrals.



10. Bremerton, Washington

A short ferry ride from Seattle sits Bremerton, a city known for its harborside shops, restaurants, and cafe. But these idyllic views make it an expensive place to live: The median home value is $359,900 -- a 11.7% increase from last year -- and expected to rise 5.9% within the next year. 

Locals who are considering starting a business can apply to the 6 Month Startup Kitsap, a program for aspirational founders that helps them decide whether they should give up their day jobs to chase their entrepreneurial dreams.



9. Austin, Texas

In recent years, prominent business leaders like Outdoor Voices founder Tyler Haney and investor Tim Ferriss have relocated to Austin from New York and Silicon Valley, respectively. Adding big-name residents only bolstered the city's reputation as a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Austin packs a lot of punch for business owners: Local founders raised nearly $1 billion in venture capital this year, after adjusting for population, and the city is home to unicorns such as jewelry brand Kendra Scott and energy employers marketplace RigUp. 

While SXSW was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a huge draw for entrepreneurs, investors, and creatives in the past. The event is scheduled to be digital next year

 



8. Reno, Nevada

Nicknamed the biggest little city in the world, Reno offers business owners more than just 24-hour casinos. Reno's entrepreneurial ecosystem has grown in recent years as founders seek affordable housing without losing their connections to the west coast startup market. 

Additionally, Reno's employment levels jumped 25.7% to around 222,500 in July, the second-highest percent change in employment on our list. Tech behemoths such as Tesla, Microsoft, and casino gaming company IGT have also lured out-of-state talent to Reno, creating a strong network of professionals for local entrepreneurs.



7. Las Vegas, Nevada

Founders hoping to escape expensive housing costs in California are looking to Las Vegas as a cheaper haven. The median home value is $296,730 and is expected to rise 4.4%, according to Zillow. The lack of state and local income tax is an added sweetener. 

Founders in the game design and hospitality get the added bonus of working near the casinos. But Vegas's startup ecosystem is more than just gambling. The state-run Battle Born Venture Program invests in local startups in the mining, aerospace, and water sectors. 

What's more, women business owners earn nearly twice as much as their male peers, according to a study from small business financial marketplace Fundera. 



6. Santa Cruz, California

The coastal city of Santa Cruz lures newcomers with its ocean views, but the city's interconnected businesses provide strong entrepreneurial opportunities. For instance, local farmers supply ingredients for the area's popular farm-to-table restaurants. 

Entrepreneurs are also seeing increases in venture capital funding. So far, founders have raised $650 million this year compared to nearly $90 million last year.



5. Seattle, Washington

The city known for its coffee has a lot more to offer entrepreneurs than just caffeine. For starters, Amazon's sprawling headquarters is located in the city. Google, Facebook, and Apple are also building a greater presence in Seattle, which gives business owners the chance for collaborations, mentorship, or useful business connections. 

Seattle's employment rose by 10.6% from April to around 2 million in July. The metro area also has a high median household income among our list of metro areas, at $94,027.

Seattle's downside, like many west coast hot spots, is its high housing costs. The median home value is $780,126 and rising, according to Zillow. 



4. Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston area is home to more than 30 colleges and universities, including prestigious institutions — such as Harvard, MIT, and Babson College — that provide top talent for startups. 

Just like its alumni, Boston also has a strong network of successful companies including restaurant point-of-sale platform Toast, wearable device Whoop, and marketing software platform HubSpot that make it a hub for aspiring founders. 

While Massachusetts doesn't allow happy hours, enterprising entrepreneurs talk shop in one of the city's many accelerators and incubators. Accelerator MassChallenge has been running for 10 years and fueled the growth of 2,344 startups.

Boston had around $8 billion of capital invested in startups so far this year. The metro area also had the fifth-highest median household income among these metro areas, at $94,430. 



3. Dover, Delaware

Dover-based businesses raised $407 million in venture capital so far this year, a huge increase from the $83 million they netted in 2019. That shows investors are getting serious about Dover's startups. 

Meanwhile, the city has several incubators that can help local entrepreneurs start and scale businesses. Delaware State University's latest incubator is slated to go inside the new multi-use building called Division Street Offices and the school already has a commercial kitchen incubator on campus.



2. San Francisco, California

While many founders are opting to move or start their businesses in cheaper cities, the Bay Area is still a draw for entrepreneurs. Some want to be close to the action of Silicon Valley while others want to get a slice of the robust venture capital funding. So far, San Francisco-based businesses raised $22.5 billion, adjusted for population, in VC funding. 

The metro area also had the second-highest median household income among these metro areas, at $114,696. But the city isn't accessible for everyone thanks to astronomical housing costs. The median home value is $1.4 million, according to Zillow. And who could forget the fact that some people were spending $2.25 an hour to work from a parking space last year. 

 



1. San Jose, California

It may come as no surprise that the city closest to Silicon Valley is high on the list, but San Jose has more to offer entrepreneurs than just proximity to powerful companies.

San Jose is 20 miles away from Stanford University, which is ideal for founders looking to hire talented graduates. What's more, venture capital firms are investing in local startups: San Jose-based businesses raised $9 billion so far this year, the second-largest amount of capital invested after adjusting for population size. 

The metro area also had the highest median household income on the last, at $130,865.



Methodology

To get a sense of the best cities to start a business, we looked at four different metrics that focused on investments and overall economic health. 

We only included metro areas that had values in all four of our metro areas and had at least some capital investments this year. Capital marketing company PitchBook also shared the large amount of venture capital invested in Silicon Valley, but since this place did not have values in any of the other metrics. So, we excluded it from our list. In the end, we looked at nearly 190 metro areas.

After compiling our data, we calculated a z-score for each metro on each of the four metrics so that we could compare the values on the same scale. We then summed each of the z-scores together to create an overall index where the larger values made the top of our list.

The following are the data sources and values we used in our analysis:

  • Percent change in typical home value, March 2020 and August 2020: To get a sense of how well the housing market is recovering in a metro area, we took the percent change of home value from March to August using metro area data collected by Zillow.
  • Venture capital deals, Q1 2020 and Q2 2020:PitchBook shared with us quarterly VC deals by metro area. To compare values across places with varying population sizes, we adjusted the total capital invested in the year so far by each metro area's population. We used population estimates from the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey to do this.
  • Percent change in employment, April 2020 and July 2020: To get a sense of how employment has bounced back so far since the low-point in April, we looked at the percent change in employment from April to July. It is important to note we used preliminary July estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics before the latest employment report was released in October.
  • Median household income, 2019: To get a sense of how wealthy the local potential customer base is, we looked at the median household income from the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey. Values are adjusted for 2019 inflation.



The 15 countries that are best at attracting talent

0
0

Zug, Switzerland

Summary List Placement

Switzerland is the best place to attract and retain talent for the fifth consecutive year, according to the latest annual ranking from IMD.

The IMD World Competitiveness Center just released its annual World Talent Ranking, as first reported by CNBC. This ranking looks at 63 global economies and ranks them based on how competitive and attractive they are to workers within the country and internationally.

The ranking is based on three different metrics: appeal, or retaining talent both within the country and from abroad; readiness, or "quality of the skills and competences" of talent; and investment and development, or "how an economy fosters domestic talent."

Each metric is based on different indicators. For instance, an economy's employee training and total public expenditure on education are two of the indicators that fall under investment and development.

Most of the economic and country data used in the ranking comes from 2019, and survey responses used for 17 of the 31 indicators are from January to April 2020, just when the coronavirus pandemic was beginning to have a major negative impact across the world. Survey questions included whether attracting and retaining talent is a priority for companies and whether higher education meets the needs for a competitive job market, among other topics. 

The report notes that the most competitive countries are those that value education and appeal to international workers. "Highly competitive countries focus their talent development efforts on every stage of the educational process," IMD wrote in the report.

Several European countries placed at the top, similar to previous rankings from IMD. European countries made up 10 of the top 15 economies that foster and attract talent on this year's list. Hong Kong and Singapore were the only Asian economies to make the top 15. 

Switzerland ranked number one, as it did in last year's ranking. The US didn't make the top 10 but it did rank 15th, falling three spots from last year's ranking. Several Northern European countries all made the top 15, including Denmark, which placed second.

Based on IMD's analysis of eight major world regions, Western Europe lead in investment and development and readiness, but fell slightly behind North America's appeal for talent. South America fell behind other regions in both investment and development and the readiness of talent skills and competences available.

Although the US ranked high in its appeal to talent, its readiness score was ranked 27th. Some of the indicators that brought down this rank was the share of graduates in science fields where it ranked 51st, and it also ranked 32nd for primary and secondary education meets the needs of a competitive economy. 

The following are the 15 countries that made the top of 2020 World Talent Ranking list, along with where they placed last year. Three countries in the top 15 saw no change from last year, and 11 of the 63 saw no change. 

Read the full report at IMD here.

SEE ALSO: The 20 best democratic countries for Americans to move to after the pandemic, where the weather is decent and living is affordable

DON'T MISS: These are the top 10 countries to retire in, according to US expats who made the move well before the coronavirus pandemic

15. United States

2019 ranking: 12

Change from 2019-2020: Down 3

Investment and development rank: 17

Appeal rank: 2

Readiness rank: 27

The US had the second-highest rank for its appeal to foreign highly-skilled personnel. However, one of its lowest indicators was for apprenticeships being sufficiently implemented, where it ranked 54th.



14. Hong Kong SAR

2019 ranking: 15

Change from 2019-2020: Up 1

Investment and development rank: 23

Appeal rank: 18

Readiness rank: 2

Hong Kong SAR ranked at the top for the availability of finance skills in the country. However, total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was one of its lowest indicators, where it ranked 53rd.



13. Australia

2019 ranking: 16

Change from 2019-2020: Up 3

Investment and development rank: 18

Appeal rank: 16

Readiness rank: 4

Australia's availability of finance skills ranked sixth, and the country had a high quality of life score. However, one of its lowest indicators was for its implementation of apprenticeships, where it ranked 50th.



12. Finland

2019 ranking: 8

Change from 2019-2020: Down 4

Investment and development rank: 12

Appeal rank: 15

Readiness rank: 10

One of Finland's highest indicators were its higher education programs meeting the needs of a competitive economy, where it ranked fourth this year. However, one of its lower indicators was its labor force growth where it ranked 44th.



11. Germany

2019 ranking: 11

Change from 2019-2020: No change

Investment and development rank: 11

Appeal rank: 9

Readiness rank: 13

One of Germany's highest indicators was its implementation of apprenticeships, where it ranked second this year. However, one of its lower indicators was having a skilled labor force readily available, where it ranked 44th.



10. Netherlands

2019 ranking: 9

Change from 2019-2020: Down 1

Investment and development rank: 16

Appeal rank: 7

Readiness rank: 8

One of the Netherlands' highest indicators was that companies make retaining and attracting talent a priority, where it ranked fifth this year. However, one of its lowest indicators was its cost of living where it ranked 40th.



9. Singapore

2019 ranking: 10

Change from 2019-2020: Up 1

Investment and development rank: 21

Appeal rank: 22

Readiness rank: 1

Singapore's skilled labor ranked third under the readiness metric. However, total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was one of its lowest indicators, where it ranked 61st.



8. Canada

2019 ranking: 13

Change from 2019-2020: Up 5

Investment and development rank: 19

Appeal rank: 3

Readiness rank: 7

Canada's skilled labor ranked fifth under the readiness metric. However, its student-teacher ratios for both primary and secondary schools had lower scores, ranking 40th and 43rd respectively.



7. Norway

2019 ranking: 6

Change from 2019-2020: Down 1

Investment and development rank: 5

Appeal rank: 10

Readiness rank: 20

Norway's management education ranked ninth under the readiness metric. However, its cost of living was one of its lowest indicators, where it ranked at 41.



6. Austria

2019 ranking: 4

Change from 2019-2020: Down 2

Investment and development rank: 6

Appeal rank: 11

Readiness rank: 12

Companies' priority of employee training ranked second for Austria. However, its cost of living and labor force growth had lower scores, at 43 and 39 respectively.



5. Sweden

2019 ranking: 3

Change from 2019-2020: Down 2

Investment and development rank: 7

Appeal rank: 4

Readiness rank: 11

Sweden's total public expenditure on education as a percentage of the GDP was one of its higher indicators, where it ranked fifth. However, its apprenticeships indicator placed 43rd.



4. Iceland

2019 ranking: 7

Change from 2019-2020: Up 3

Investment and development rank: 4

Appeal rank: 6

Readiness rank: 16

Iceland's total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was one of its higher indicators, where it ranked second. However, its appeal to foreign highly-skilled personnel only ranked 41st.



3. Luxembourg

2019 ranking: 5

Change from 2019-2020: Up 2

Investment and development rank: 3

Appeal rank: 5

Readiness rank: 19

Luxembourg's appeal to foreign highly-skilled personnel was one of its higher indicators, where it ranked fourth. The country also had the highest labor force growth in the study. However, it had one of the lower share of graduates in the science field, where it ranked 52nd.



2. Denmark

2019 ranking: 2

Change from 2019-2020: No change

Investment and development rank: 2

Appeal rank: 8

Readiness rank: 6

Denmark ranked at the top for companies prioritizing employee training under the investment and development metric. However, its cost of living ranked 53rd, making it one of the country's lower indicators. 



1. Switzerland

2019 ranking: 1

Change from 2019-2020: No change

Investment and development rank: 1

Appeal rank: 1

Readiness rank: 5

Switzerland ranked at the top for its apprenticeships under the investment and development metric. However, its cost of living ranked 58th, one of the country's lower indicators. 



Need a cheap holiday wine? A sommelier rated 11 low-cost wines.

0
0
Summary List Placement
  • Sara Lehman is the private sommelier and lifestyle director of 160 Madison, which is a luxury, residential high-rise building in Manhattan. She also owns the wine and travel blog Somm in the City.
  • We gave Sara 11 different low-cost wines to try from big-box stores like Costco, Target, BJ's, and Trader Joe's
  • Watch the video above to see how she ranked bottles of cabernet sauvignon, pinot grigio, and rosé, all under $10.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Sara Lehman: I'm Sara Lehman. I am the owner of Somm in the City. It is a wine and travel blog that focuses on food, wine, and luxury.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Kirkland, Costco — $7.99

Give it a nice swirl first. It's quite fruity, but it's a little mild. Ooh. I actually like this. It has a little bit more complexity than I was expecting it to have.

Charles Shaw, Trader Joe's — $3.99

Hmm. Wow. This is definitely not as powerful as a cabernet that I would expect. It's just really approachable and very friendly, and I think this is a good cabernet.

The Collection, Target — $9.99

Very smooth. Wow. Not gonna lie, didn't expect that from Target, but I would drink this.

Wellsley Farms, BJ's — $7.99

This one's definitely spicy. It's a nice wine. There's nothing too complex about it. There's a lot of fruit, and you get a lot of this sour cherry, bright strawberry, and raspberry, and then it just kind of finishes flat.

Untamed Vine, Lidl — $8.99

Oh, excellent. Wow. Alright, so right off the bat, you're getting a lot of this cranberry and currants. Then you're getting this really nice, like meatiness and like some nice coco. I really like the sweet baking spice I'm also getting in this. I feel like this wine has a lot of layers.

Rankings:

My first choice is definitely the Untamed Vine. I think that this definitely showed everything that I love about California and California wines. I would say my second favorite would actually be the Kirkland. I was pleasantly surprised by that. It had some personality to it, and I really would not knock this wine. For my third, I would have to go with The Collection. Then I would say my fourth one would be the Charles Shaw. I just thought that this wasn't as strong as the other few. Lastly would be the Wellsley Farms, and that's just because I felt that it just tastes very commercial.

Pinot Grigio

Kirkland, Costco — $7.89

Pleasant nose. I think it's definitely very typical of Pinot Grigio. This is what I would expect from it. Not as much acidity as I thought it would have, which is pleasant because sometimes Pinot Grigio can be a little too racy and aggressive. But what I really like about this wine is the fact that it's medium bodied and it has a really smooth finish.

Charles Shaw, Trader Joe's — $3.99

Ooh. I'm kind of getting like an apple juice nose, which is interesting. So this one definitely has a lot more acidity than the Costco. It's almost like a creamy wine. The acidity is right there in the beginning of the wine, and then it just kind of smooths out and it becomes creamy. It's really interesting, but it's really reminding me of apple juice.

The Collection, Target — $9.99

Oh, right off the nose you get a lot of citrus. I'm getting some white flower. Okay, so this one has a lot more of like the citrus skins. We're getting a lot of this lime peel and I'm getting a little bit of a candied lemon. But it's nothing too sweet. This wine is still very dry.

Wellsley Farms, BJ's — $6.99

I'm getting some barnyard right in the nose. And I know that sounds like a weird quality to have, but barnyard is definitely an aroma in wine that can be attractive depending on the wine. Hmm. Yeah. Yellow apple, hay. It's got acidity. You got some lime in there. I really like it.

Rankings:

Out of my top favorites, I would say The Collection won my heart this time. It was just really fun, and I would just, I would drink this all the time. The Kirkland, again, surprised me. I am wondering if I should start going to Costco and buying some wine. And then I would say the Wellsley Farms definitely would be my third choice. And the fourth would be the Trader Joe's Shaw. It was my least favorite. It didn't have as much personality as the other three.

Rosé

Charles Shaw, Trader Joe's — $3.99

Ooh, okay pleasant. So, I'm getting again a lot of this fresh red fruit. It's really kind of a juicy wine. You have just enough acidity to get this drying sensation in your mouth, but what I really enjoy about this is that to me it tastes like a typical California rosé. This is an easy to drink wine. The finish does fall very short, though.

The Collection, Target — $9.99

This wine has a lot more acidity. It has everything I look for in a California rosé, so it's bright, it's fruit-forward, it's fresh. The finish is there. Like I'm still tasting it. This wine could be taken places I would say, compared to the Shaw where the Shaw is really just... it was decent but it fell flat compared to The Collection. It really did.

And the winner is . . .

So the winner of the wine tasting would definitely be Target. I think The Collection by Target is my top wine choice from the selection that I've tried today. I was pleasantly surprised by all three of these wines. They met a lot of my qualifications, which includes, taste, aromas, complexity, as well as finish. So if I were to say bring something that was less expensive to my friends but from California, I would go with The Collection. I think out of all the three wines that I tried from them they really all struck me in very different ways but in very positive ways, and I would buy them.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in March 2019.

Join the conversation about this story »

The 10 suburbs where homebuyers can get more space for less money

0
0

salt lake city utah

Summary List Placement

With the coronavirus pandemic has come demand for additional space in residential real estate. And what that's meant for many is a desire for suburban living.

As social distancing and remote work have driven up demand for houses in the suburbs for most of the last year, many urban dwellers have chosen to abandon city life for more space in less-crowded neighborhoods. But extra space usually costs more, especially when it's near a major city. 

With that in mind, real-estate listings and news website Realtor.com analyzed property across the US' largest metro areas, and found that buyers seeking large homes near big cities across the nation's 10 largest metros can save, on average, nearly 30% per square foot if they buy a home in nearby suburbs. 

The analysis studied single-family homes of 1,800 square feet or more in the urban and suburban neighborhoods of each metro. Suburbs were ranked by lowest median price per square foot and were kept within 25 miles of each metro's downtown area.

That said, these are the 10 American suburbs that made the list.

SEE ALSO: The 10 most affordable suburbs that will still give homebuyers that big-city feeling

SEE ALSO: The 5 best suburbs in America — and how much it costs to live in them

10. Fullerton, CA

Urban metro: Los Angeles, CA
Median listing price: $1,155,000 
Savings per square foot: 27% (suburban, $418; urban, $570)



9. Ashton, MD

Urban metro: Washington, DC
Median listing price: $844,000
Savings per square foot: 39% (suburban, $178; urban, $294)



8. Clark, NJ

Urban metro: New York, NY
Median listing price: $798,000
Savings per square foot: 34% (suburban, $242; urban, $366)



7. Pine Island Ridge, FL

Urban metro: Miami, FL
Median listing price: $679,000
Savings per square foot: 34% (suburban, $224; urban, $341)



6. Hanover, MA

Urban metro: Boston, MA
Median listing price: $670,000
Savings per square foot: 34% (suburban, $231; urban, $350)



5. Jersey Village, TX

Urban metro: Houston, TX
Median listing price: $447,000
Savings per square foot: 36% (suburban, $126; urban, $198)



4. Marietta, GA

Urban metro: Atlanta, GA
Median listing price: $440,000
Savings per square foot: 21% (suburban, $143; urban, $181)



3. Palos Hills, IL

Urban metro: Chicago, IL
Median listing price: $379,000
Savings per square foot: 24% (suburban, $139; urban, $184)



2. Cedar Hill, TX

Urban metro: Dallas, TX
Median listing price: $352,000
Savings per square foot: 23% (suburban, $124; urban, $161)



1. Sicklerville, NJ

Urban metro: Philadelphia, PA
Median listing price: $282,000
Savings per square foot: 20% (suburban, $118; urban, $148)



The 10 states where residents pay the least in property taxes — and how much typical homeowners can expect to pay

0
0

Honolulu hawaii

Summary List Placement

When Steven John, a writer, moved from Los Angeles County to a suburb of New York City in 2016, he didn't expect his property taxes to skyrocket. 

But after a reassessment of the slightly larger New York house he and his wife bought and renovated, he wrote for Insider, his taxes climbed to $20,000, double his $10,000 annual property-tax bill in California.

As home sales close at a pandemic-driven breakneck pace across most of the US, it's important for buyers to know what tax payments are expected where, whether they're purchasing their first homes or investing in units to rent out for passive income.

Property-tax changes can result in sudden jolts to your expenses— especially right now. Many of the hot markets across the US right now skew in favor of sellers, which forces buyers to make above-ask bids, or sometimes even offer all cash when competing to land one of a limited number of properties on the market. High property prices nationwide also mean that calculating your tax bill is all the more important for people trying to stick to a budget who are also weighing the cost of a move.

Over the course of the pandemic, and even before, urban dwellers in places like New York and California have decamped to states like Texas, where the lack of a state income tax can be alluring. But consider that Texas has an annual property tax rate of 1.80%, higher than both California and New York, which levy effective real-estate taxes of 0.76% and 1.72%, respectively. 

A new study by the personal-finance website WalletHub ranks every US state according to its property-tax rate. It shows which states have the lowest effective rates and how much a typical homeowner can expect to pay annually based on each state's median home value.

New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut crowd the bottom of the list, with some of the most expensive real-estate tax rates in the country. Other states, like Hawaii and Colorado, impose the least additional costs on homes.

These 10 states are the most wallet-friendly in the property-tax department:

SEE ALSO: 4 unexpected places real-estate investors should target in 2021, from a pro who's done hundreds of millions of dollars in deals

10. Wyoming

Wyoming has the 10th-lowest real-estate tax rates in the US, at 0.61%. 

The median home value in Wyoming is $220,500, which means annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $1,337.



9. Nevada

Nevada's property-tax rate comes in at 0.6%.

The median home value in Nevada is $267,900, meaning annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $1,614.



8. West Virginia

West Virginia's property-tax rate is 0.58%. 

The median home value in South Carolina is $119,600, which means annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $698.



6. Delaware (tied)

Delaware, tied with South Carolina, levies a 0.57% property tax. 

The median home value in South Carolina is $251,100, meaning annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $1,431.



6. South Carolina (tied)

South Carolina, tied with Delaware, also has a property-tax rate of 0.57%. 

The median home value in South Carolina is $162,300, meaning annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $924.



5. District of Columbia

The District of Columbia taxes homeowners at a rate of 0.56%. 

The median home value in DC is $601,500, which means annual taxes on a home priced at DC's median value are $3,378.



4. Louisiana

Louisiana is home to the fourth-lowest real-estate tax rate in the US, at 0.55%. 

The median home value in Louisiana is $163,100, which means annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $890.



3. Colorado

Colorado homeowners pay 0.51% in real-estate taxes. 

The median home value in Colorado is $343,300, which means annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $1,756.



2. Alabama

Alabama has the US's second-lowest real-estate tax rate, at 0.41%. 

The median home value in Alabama is $142,700, meaning annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $587.



1. Hawaii

Hawaii tops the list with the lowest real-estate tax rate: 0.28%. 

The median home value in Hawaii is $615,300, which means annual taxes on a home priced at the state's median value are $1,715.



These are the 5 best places to live in America right now

0
0

Philadelphia

Summary List Placement

The pandemic untethered almost millions of Americans from traditionally popular places to live. After remote work broke the chains that bound many professionals to coastal metropolises, they flooded into suburbs, smaller cities, and vacation home spots.

About 11% of Americans have moved, and mass relocations continue unabated as remote work becomes permanent for many. Homeowners and renters are still reevaluating where and how they want to live based on new must-haves— from more square footage to landscaped outdoor space — that became coveted amenities during the pandemic.  

So ranking and reviews website Niche's latest list of the best places to live in the US seems even more relevant for a newly flexible population.

"In the past year, many people have become more mobile than ever before," Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche, said. "Especially if they're able to work remotely, people are asking themselves where they really want to live." 

Niche based its list of top neighborhoods on factors including housing affordability, a reasonable cost of living, job opportunities, the amount of racial, generational, and socioeconomic diversity, crime rates, local public schools, parks, weather, walkability, and more. Niche compiled data from the US Census Bureau, the FBI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), then combined it with millions of residents' reviews.

So as scores of homebuyers and remote workers continue to reevaluate where to live, consider these under-the-radar communities, which nabbed the top five spots on Niche's list.

5. Cotton Creek South, Texas

dallas

Cotton Creek South is a suburb of the city of Richardson, Texas, which is itself a satellite city of Dallas. About 98% of its 1,100 residents own their homes. Local public schools — located about 15 miles, or a 30-minute drive, northeast of Dallas — are highly rated, and the community is also popular with retirees. 

In March, the median list price of homes in Richardson was $359,900, up 7.4% from the prior year, according to Realtor.com

The population of Texas has ballooned from 25 million to 29 million in the last nine years, with many newcomers entering into bidding wars and paying all-cash for homes in the popular. Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

4. Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

A suburb northwest of Philadelphia with a population of about 6,000, Penn Wynne is a favorite for retirees and young families, as the local public schools are good. Almost 90% of residents are homeowners.

While Montgomery County ranges from dense suburbs to rural farmland, Penn Wynne falls firmly in the former category. Less than 10 miles west of downtown Philly, it has Quaker roots. 

The median list price of homes in Penn Wynne was $350,000 in March, down 12.5% year-over-year, according to Realtor.com. The median sale price of homes in the same period was $380,000, meaning that the typical home sells for over ask. Housing options range from citified apartment complexes to single-family homes with lawns. 

3. Ocean Park, California

santa monica

With its Pacific Ocean-adjacent location, iconic amusement-park pier, and plentiful shopping and dining, Santa Monica is one of Los Angeles' most coveted areas. South of the pier, an enclave within Santa Monica called Ocean Park ranks as the country's third-best place to live.

A dense community home to just over 13,000 people, offers locals scores of bars and restaurants. Because many residents are young professionals who can't afford to (or haven't decided to) buy property, close to 80% of the Ocean Park population rent their homes.

In March, the median list price of homes in Ocean Park was $1.6 million, according to Realtor.com, trending down 23.9% year-over-year. The median sale price of homes in the same period was $1.1 million, which reveals that most properties sold for under their asking price. Santa Monica rents have also dropped during the pandemic as people relocate to less-central LA communities where their budgets buy bigger houses.

The area is still relatively expensive, though: The Los Angeles Times reported that Southern California home prices hit an all-time high in February, the most recent month for which there is data available. 

2. City Center, California

santa monica California

Edging out Ocean Park is another Santa Monica enclave: City Center.

Smack-dab in the center of Santa Monica, the neighborhood has an urban feel with wide streets lined with apartment buildings, bars, and restaurants. Most its 4,700 residents rent rather than own. In addition to its parks and beachfront perks, City Center is known for its solid public schools, and is attractive to young professionals and families. 

The median list price of homes in Santa Monica was $1.8 million in March, trending down 9.8% year-over-year, according to Realtor.com. The median sale price for homes in the same period was $1.7 million. 

Los Angeles as a whole experienced a pandemic real estate boom, with higher-wage workers seizing upon low mortgage rates to upgrade to larger homes in less-dense areas. Remote work also allowed out-of-staters to relocate to the sunny city.

1. Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania

philedelpha pennsylvania

Topping the list of best places to live is Chesterbrook, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia. The community of 4,8000 inhabit a dense suburban area about 25 miles from the city center; 77% of residents are homeowners and 23% are renters. The quality of Chesterbrook's public schools, outdoor activities, and the diversity of the community are all draws.

In March, the median list price of homes in Chesterbrook was $422,500, up 20.8% from the same period in 2020, according to Realtor.com. The median sale price of homes in Chesterbrook over the same period was $325,000, which means homes are in demand and selling significantly over asking price.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship





Latest Images