Best Countries for Business

R	Name	GDP Growth (%)	GDP / Capita ($)	Trade Balance ($bil)	Pop (mil)	Un Emp (%)
1	Denmark	1.7	37,400	4.7	5.5	3.5
2	Ireland	5.3	45,600	-12.6	4.2	5.0
3	Finland	4.4	35,500	11.2	5.2	6.9
4	United States	2.2	46,000	-747.1	303.8	4.6
5	United Kingdom	2.9	35,300	-111.0	60.9	5.4
6	Sweden	3.4	36,900	30.2	9.0	4.5
7	Canada	2.7	38,200	28.5	33.2	5.9
8	Singapore	7.5	48,900	41.4	4.6	1.7
9	Hong Kong	5.8	42,000	19.9	7.0	4.2
10	Estonia	7.3	21,800	-3.1	1.3	5.2
10	Switzerland	2.6	39,800	67.9	7.6	3.1
12	New Zealand	3.0	27,300	-10.0	4.2	3.5
13	Australia	4.0	37,500	-51.0	20.6	4.4
14	Netherlands	3.5	38,600	59.3	16.6	4.1
15	Norway	4.9	55,600	55.8	4.6	2.4
16	Israel	5.1	28,800	5.9	7.1	7.6
17	Iceland	1.8	39,400	-3.4	0.3	1.0
18	Belgium	2.7	36,500	11.0	10.4	7.6
19	Chile	5.2	14,400	8.2	16.5	7.0
20	Portugal	1.9	21,800	-18.5	10.7	8.0
21	Germany	2.6	34,400	185.1	82.4	8.4
22	Luxembourg	5.0	80,800	11.3	0.5	4.4
23	Austria	3.3	39,000	12.6	8.2	4.3
24	Japan	1.9	33,800	195.9	127.3	4.0
25	France	1.8	33,800	-35.9	64.1	8.0

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/6/biz_bizcountries08_Best-Countries-for-Business_Rank.html

Best of the Best Places to Live 2008

1: Plymouth, Minnesota
Population: 70,100
Median home price: $288,950
Average property tax (2006): $4,526
Pros: Reasonable home prices; good schools; quick drive the nation's biggest mall
Cons: Very cold winters

2. Fort Collins, Colorado
Population: 129,400
Median home price: $207,739
Average property tax (2006): $1,675
Pros: Bike lanes; Old Town historic district; brand-new cancer center
Cons: Overcrowded schools

3. Naperville, Illinois
Population: 142,900
Median home price: $369,000
Average property tax (2006): $6,402
Pros: Close to Chicago; public library ranked the best in the nation among small cities; walkable downtown area
Cons: High property taxes

4. Irvine, California
Population: 193,900
Median home price: $650,000
Average property tax (2006): $5,053
Pros: School district has won national recognition; more than 16,000 acres of green space
Cons: Very pricey homes

5. Franklin Township, New Jersey
Population: 59,100
Median home price: $319,000
Average property tax (2006): $7,648
Pros: Plenty of jobs in the area; Princeton and Rutgers Universities nearby
Cons: High property taxes


6. Norman, Oklahoma
Population: 102,800
Median home price: $133,500
Average property tax (2006): $1,095
Pros: University of Oklahoma; affordable housing
Cons: Gotta love that football -- schools close for games against rival University of Texas

7. Round Rock, Texas
Population: 92,300
Median home price: $193,931
Average property tax (2006): $3,854
Pros: Affordable housing; excellent schools; minor league baseball team
Cons: Can you take the heat?

8. Columbia/Ellicott City, Maryland
Population: 97,500
Median home price: $355,000
Average property taxes (2006): $3,208
Pros: Historic Main Street lined with antique shops and teahouses; 950-acre nature preserve; three lakes
Cons: Traffic can be a headache

9. Overland Park, Kansas
Population: 166,700
Median home price: $233,887
Average property taxes (2006): $3,345
Pros: Lots of green space; schools among best in nation
Cons: Flat terrain and grid layout don't provide much visual drama

10. Fishers, Indiana
Population: 61,800
Median home price: $200,830
Average property taxes (2006): $2,218
Pros: Strong economy; low home prices; good schools
Cons: A walkable downtown is still in the planning stages

http://www.walletpop.com/mortgages/best-places-to-live
http://www.walletpop.com/specials/best-of-the-best