Best City for Housing Values: Just up the road

Another new ranking--this one from Kiplinger's and Kansas City is not in the top 5, anyway, but Omaha, dependable Omaha ranks number one: Best Cities for Housing Values, 2011 1. Omaha, Neb. Population (metro): 829,702; Unemployment rate: 4.6%; Cost-of-living index: 90.3; Median household income: $53,457. Wichita, Ks is number 8 and Cedar Rapids, Iowa is 9, for what it's worth. We'll just have to try harder, I guess, right? Link: http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/best-cities-for-housing-values-2011.html

St. Louis housing market ranked No. 8, nationally

8. St. Louis, Mo.- Ill.

One-year Home Price Forecast: -0.02

Housing Opportunity Index: 84.5

% of Housing Units in Foreclosure: 1.58


This brings to mind two thoughts:

First, I don't know how they're on it as I didn't think St. Louis was in that good a position and two, Kansas City is absolutely not ranked in this "top ten", to be sure.

Memphis, TN and Columbus, OH (tied at 6) are both on the list as are Indianapolis (5), Minneapolis (4), Louisville (3) with Pittsburgh, PA at number one.

Makes me wonder what these mid-sized cities are doing particularly right, compared to us.

I mean besides paving their streets and seeing to it the snow is plowed in the winter.

Mayor Funkhouser--any thoughts?

Oh, wait. Never mind.