3 Iowa towns make Money’s ‘Best Places to Live’ list

The best place to live in America is Eden Prairie this year, but three Iowa towns make Money magazine's annual top 100 list of best small cities.

Ames was ranked No. 9 in a list dominated by suburbs of major cities.

“If the people who live here get bored, they have only themselves to blame,” the magazine wrote. “Besides Iowa State's cultural and athletic offerings, Ames boasts 36 parks, a bustling shopping district, and a new aquatic center.”

The rankings also praised Ames' low 4.3 percent unemployment rate.

Iowa City was ranked No. 68, getting a much shorter blurb from the magazine. It referenced the Iowa Writer's Workshop, the Iowa city Jazz Festival, the Iowa City's designation by UNESCO as a City of Literature.

Money ranked West Des Moines at 75, and even included a rendering of its Holiday Park Aquatic Center.

“Whether you're into shopping at farmer's markets, checking out car shows, or combing through antiques, there's something here for almost everyone,” Money wrote of the Des Moines suburb.