A tale of cool cities

Davide Dukcevich, who compiles the Forbes ratings, acknowledges that significant change is really a long-term, glacial process. And even then there's sometimes an unpredictable quality to it, driven by unforeseen events. For example, he says the technology booms in Seattle and Austin grew out of the entrepreneurial genius of two individuals: Bill Gates of Microsoft (Seattle) and Michael Dell of Dell Computers (Austin).

Cities might not be able to intentionally replicate such success, but they can work at cultivating a more conducive climate for innovation, says Rod Frantz, president of the Richard Florida Creativity Group.

"Cities have to be embracing of their entire population, because you never know where the next Andy Warhol or Bill Gates or Georgia O'Keefe is going to come from," he observes.

Cleveland hopes to nurture cutting-edge thinkers through its new Civic Innovation Lab, which will fund and mentor individuals with innovative ideas.

Raleigh, N.C., which has been making waves with high ratings for everything from its rock-music scene to its livability, has benefited from visionary thinking and planning, as well as taking advantage of what it already has. The creation nearby of a forward-looking Research Triangle, conceived decades ago, is an example of the former; a mild climate, a 3-1/2-hour drive to the ocean, a university environment, and a college-basketball culture are examples of the latter.

As for Cincinnati, civic leaders are confident that there's a lot to interest young people in the city, including distinct neighborhoods tucked into the city's hills and valleys, as well as a strong, progressive arts community.

The opera company has branched out to perform contemporary works such as "Dead Man Walking," and the symphony orchestra holds three College Night concerts each year, in which, for $10, college students can hear the symphony and afterward attend a reception that features rock and pop bands.

Without such a shift in demographics, young people may not discover what D'Souza calls "the amazing work/life balance" in Cincinnati, which encourages people to enjoy life. His friends in New York work 80 to 90 hours a week and only occasionally take in Broadway shows, while he puts in 50 or 60 hours a week working for a venture-capital firm.

Not only is there time to go out for dinner, shows, and movies, even on weeknights, but young people are able to devote time to families and civic commitments.

"I don't think I could be as involved in a community anywhere else," he says.

1. Austin, Texas
2. Denver-Boulder
3. Boston
4. Washington-Baltimore
5. Atlanta
6. San Francisco-Oakland
7. Los Angeles
8. New York
9. Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
10. Dallas-Fort Worth
11. Chicago
12. Miami
13. San Diego
14. Philadelphia
15. Seattle
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul
17. Phoenix
18. Houston
19. St. Louis
20. Orlando, Fla.
21. Sacramento, Calif.
22. Salt Lake City
23. New Orleans
24. Nashville, Tenn.
25. Milwaukee
26. Portland, Ore.
27. Tampa, Fla.
28. Columbus, Ohio
29. San Antonio
30. Las Vegas
31. Norfolk, Va.
32. Detroit
33. Charlotte, N.C.
34. Indianapolis
35. Providence, R.I.
36. Kansas City
37. Cleveland
38. Greensboro-Winston
Salem, N.C.
39. Cincinnati
40. Pittsburgh

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