Top 10 Cities to Earn a Living...

Though Houston has plenty of fat cats, this is not a story about America's Most Overweight Cities.

Rather, Houston is recognized here for its dynamic business environment, low unemployment and high wages relative to income. These factors make Houston the best city to earn a living by our calculations.

A record amount of money has been made off oil and commodities this year, and Houston is the American business hub of those industries. Throw in the weak dollar, which allows Houston-based materials companies to glean more cash off exports and increases the price of gasoline, and it's easy to understand why the city excels.

And it's not likely to change anytime soon. When you add up the projected gross state product growth, business openings vs. closings, and venture capital investments in Texas, based on data from Moody's Economy.com and Pacific Research Institute, the Lone Star state ranks fourth in the country for its future economic prospects.

Right behind Houston are Minneapolis, home to more of the nation's top companies per capita than any other city; Boston, fueled heavily by the biotech industry; and Washington, D.C., where unless the government goes out of business, consulting firms will continue to make a killing.


1. Houston, Texas
2. Minneapolis, Minn.
3. Boston, Mass.
4. Washington, D.C.
5. New York, N.Y.
6. Pittsburgh, Pa.
7. San Francisco, Calif.
8. Dallas, Texas
9. Milwaukee, Wis.
10.Philadelphia, Pa.

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate...rning-a-Living