A Ladies’ Home Journal 1998 survey named Ann Arbor, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Scottsdale, Arizona; Irvine, CA; Lakewood, Colorado; Virginia Beach, VA; Thousand Oaks, CA; Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky; Minneapolis, MN; and Burlington, VT as the best large cities for women in the United States. Two hundred cities in all were ranked, with cities in West and Midwest faring the best.
Cities were ranked based on criteria gained from an earlier survey, which asked women “What makes a community a great place to live?” Researchers found that women’s top priorities included a low crime rate, lucrative jobs, high quality of life, excellent health care and public schools, a government in which women are represented, and quality child care.
