Three 14th District communities are among 100 Best Small Towns in US
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH) today announced that
Solon, Highland Heights and Twinsburg are included in Money
Magazine's list of the top 100 small towns in the United
States.
Solon is ranked number three in the country, while Highland
Heights is ranked number 30 and Twinsburg is number 32. The
top communities on the list are Louisville, CO, and Milton,
MA. As for neighboring states, Pennsylvania has five
communities in the Top 100, Indiana has four and Michigan and
Kentucky have zero.
Money Magazine considered median family income, job growth,
median home prices, reading and math test scores, crime and a few
other factors. Five Ohio cities are included in the Top 100 list,
and LaTourette said he's thrilled that three of the five cities are
in Ohio's 14th District.
"I'm thrilled for all the Ohio cities, but especially pleased
for Twinsburg because it's gone through such a rough patch with the
closing of the Chrysler stamping plant," LaTourette
said. "Mayor Susan Drucker of Solon, Mayor Scott Coleman of
Highland Heights and Mayor Kathy Procop of Twinsburg are great
stewards of their cities. All these communities have seen job
growth in the last decade, low crime rates and and can boast of
great schools and test scores."
The magazine includes this description of Solon, population
21,683: Solon is a small town with a large tax base: Major
employers include Nestle, L'Oreal, and industrial equipment maker
Swagelok. Solon punches above its weight in other areas too. Health
care? The world-renowned Cleveland Clinic has a family health
center here. Culture? Solon has its own philharmonic orchestra.
Schools? Solon was the highest-achieving district in Ohio last
year. And the student body is diverse: 11% of residents are black,
10% Asian.
Here is the magazine's description of Highland Heights,
population 8,547: In Highland Heights, it's safety first: The town
has one of the lowest property crime rates in the country. A newly
renovated community park and pool are available to all residents.
Only 10 miles east of Cleveland, Highland Heights attracts mostly
families whose breadwinners work in the city, although a number of
people work at the local Philips Medical Systems office. Residents'
children attend the well-regarded Mayfield School
District.
Finally, the magazine describes Twinsburg, population 18,500,
this way: True to its name, Twinsburg throws an annual Twins
Day Festival, drawing multiples from around the world. The
celebration honors the set of twins who donated land to create a
town square in the 1800s. Halfway between Cleveland and Akron, this
safe town has struggled during the recession: its largest employer,
the Chrysler Stamping Plant, closed its doors in 2010, laying off
nearly 200 people. But business in the area is looking brighter: a
branch of the famed Cleveland Clinic recently opened here.
The 100 Best Small Towns list appears in the September edition
of Money Magazine.