Sammamish Review, 7/17/07

 Sammamish is the 11^th best place to live in the U.S., according to a list recently released by CNNMoney.com.  The list – which outlines the top 100 places – focused on smaller cities that offer the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and sense of community.

“I was kind of surprised that we would get the rank because usually you hear about Bellevue or some other bigger community,” said Mayor Mark Cross.  “But it doesn’t surprise me that they’re aware of us nationally.”

With a population, according to the website, of 40,600, the city “embodies the natural beauty of the Northwest.  It’s a comfortable place to raise children, with great schools, and an array of organized youth activities.”

It also lists wetlands, community parks and green spaces as some of the city’s pluses.  “I particularly like the part of the comments that it is because of parks and trails and great schools,” Cross said.  “The things they thought were positive about the city are the same things I think about the city.”

Various actions of the City Council to date have added the amenities that have made Sammamish the place it is today and have helped retain the high quality of life even though the city has grown, he added.

The only downside to Sammamish, according to the list, is high home prices.  While those figures are not available on the site, it lists average property taxes for last year at more than $3,791.

Middleton, Wisconsin topped the list as the best place to live, followed immediately by Hanover, NH and Louisville, CO.  Elsewhere in Washington State, the city of Mukilteo came in at No. 69 and Silverdale at 99. 

“To see this, I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve and we hope to do more of that in the future,” Cross said.  For more information, visit www.cnnmoney.com.