Austin's rep as the Texas Bohemia garnered us excellent numbers for Coolness and "Buzz" in 2002. But coolness alone doesn't pay the bills. Good job prospects for all those graduating singles coupled with a very attractive cost of living helped propel us to the top of the heap.
The year's rankings are primarily "by the numbers." According to Forbes.com the rankings within each category are based on census data, and various sources that listed numbers for things like museums, restaurants, nightclubs, job statistics, and apartment rents. This meant that the ranks were based on quantity, not necessarily quality. Reader polls helped determine the "Buzz" factor.
While this provided a standardized method of comparison, Forbes.com concedes that it does "hurt groovy spots like Austin, Texas" in large part because of an absence of a pro sports team and a "world-class museum." Hey, we may not have the Dallas Cowboys or former #1 ranked Boston's Fine Arts Museum but we've got Ice Bats and the huge Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. That's Culture with a Capital C right there, folks.
Also in the Top 25 for 2002/03/04 were the Texas cities of Houston at #8/18/16 and Dallas-Ft. Worth at #12/10/12. San Antonio made the list at #32/29/28. Our #1 and #2 and #3 rankings are up from #15 in 2001.
Whether you're looking for love or looking for money, music, and mirth, Austin's a hot spot for singles.
| How Austin Ranked | |||
| Measurements used to rank 40 U.S. cities included nightlife, cost of living for singles, and job growth. | |||
| Criteria | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| Number of Other Singles | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Nightlife | 32 | 13 | 24 |
| Culture | 32 | 34 | 32 |
| Coolness | 2 | NR | 1 |
| Job Growth | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Cost of Living Alone | 11 | 13 | 9 |
| "Buzz" Factor | 3 | NR | NR |
| Readers Ranking | NA | 7 | 17 |
| NR=Not Rated. The rating factors changed in 2003. | |||