Woodbury remains high on national Money Magazine list

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Quality of life in Woodbury is good: there is decent health care, a nice trail system, good schools, recreational opportunities and convenient shopping.

The criteria were used to place the city in the top best cities to live in America by Money Magazine.

Woodbury took the 11th spot, moving up from No. 13 two years ago.

“Our hope when we did the interviews that we would be able to make the top 10 list,” City Administrator Clint Gridley said. “Didn’t quite achieve that, but certainly as we look forward to the Bielenberg Sports Center project, opening up Phase 2 in the southern part of the city, the urban village, and the northeast business park, we see lots of opportunity to go to the next step.”

U.S. Money Magazine narrowed down the list using populations of 50,000 to 300,000. It used income levels, crime rates, fiscal strength of state and local government, jobs, health care and AAA rating.

Though Woodbury didn’t quite make the top five like Eden Prairie, Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens said she’s happy with the rating because the city is regularly in the top 20.

“It’s always nice to be nationally recognized,” she said. “We’ve had it consistently over the years. That continues to be a very positive sign for the community.”

The magazine conducted interviews with a number of city officials as well as residents of Woodbury.

One of those who were interviewed was Planning Commission Member Irfan Ali.

Ali had reporter Zain Asher over at his home to meet his family and other minority families at a get-together.

“There is quite a bit of diversity across the board in the city,” Ali said.

The families were asked if they had a place of worship close by and if the city was helpful in establishing the Islamic Society of Woodbury.

Asher found that Woodbury is diverse compared to other cities she visited like Chapel Hill, N.C., Ali said.

“She did not expect there to be a lot of diversity, she was surprised,” he said.

Other Minnesota cities that were rated in the top 25 were Eden Prairie, No. 3; Eagan, No. 14; Lakeville, No. 19; and Maple Grove, No. 22.

“We did very well as a state and as a region to have five communities in the top 25,” Gridley said. “And that’s something for the Twin Cities metro area to feel good about.”

City officials said with the anticipated growth and economic recovery in Woodbury, it will not be a surprise if the next rating is in the top 10.

“I think the things that we have going for us are that we do have a ways go,” Giuliani Stephens said. “We continue to experience growth in the community, we aren’t fully developed.”

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