Lifestyle

America's 50 Best Cities

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By Venessa Wong and Joel Stonington on September 23, 2011

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Charlotte

America’s Best Places Rank: 20th
Population: 669,064
Mayor: Anthony Foxx

Why it’s ranked: A pedestrian-friendly city with a light rail line that opened in 2007, Charlotte is hip and accessible, with more than 1,000 restaurants, 70 museums, and two pro sports teams. It is also home to such companies as Bank of America, Nucor, and Duke Energy.

How it ranked:
Percent with bachelor's degrees: 39.8
Percent under poverty level: 12.8
Median household income: $52,364
Violent crime rate: 723.3
Property crime rate: 4,954.7
School score: 72.25
Pro sports teams: 2
Foreclosure rate: .0104
Percent Unemployment: 8.8
Park acres per 1,000 residents: 20.3
Bars: 159
Restaurants: 1,361
Museums: 70
Colleges: 12
Libraries: 25
Air Quality Index: 92