Top cities for African Americans: the results are in. Here are readers' and editors' picks for the best places to work, live, and play.

"The best place to be" is very likely whatever location you feel most fits your needs, whether or not that area has afforded you a well-paying job, a spacious, home, or plenty of social venues. Regardless of which metropolis you call home, our ranking boasts the top cities for African Americans.

Our 2004 listing bears some resemblance to our 2001 ranking. Seven cities have returned, while Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit have fallen from the list. Newcomers are Nashville, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; and Columbus, Ohio.

Other interesting facts about this year's top picks:

* Seven out of 10 are below the Mason-Dixon Line.

Two are, in Tennessee. Texas claims another two cities.

* Five out of 10 have a black mayor.

* All have a black population of at least 25%.

Half have a black city population that is more than 50%

* Eight out of 10 have a cost of living index that is less than the national average.

Once again, our top picks were culled from more than 4,000 people who filled out an interactive survey placed on our Website (www.blackenterprise.com) We assessed the primary reasons residents live in their hometowns. As in 2001, this year's survey revealed that the most important factors were in the areas of money and finance and career and business. Survey respondents placed a high priority on income earnings potential, cost of living, housing prices, and entrepreneurial opportunities. As in 2001, respondents expressed their general discontent with the quality of their public schools, the availability of day care facilities, and the relationship between local police and African American communities.

Each city profile highlights these and other important issues and each personal profile offers a point of view from those who know the city better than anyone else--its residents.

"It has always been my focus to [live] in Baltimore," says 39-year-old Carlos Latney. "I have had opportunities to go to other places ... but I know the city and what it can be as far as [career] opportunities for African Americans," adds the Baltimore native. Staying in Baltimore also allows Latney to patronize local black businesses, though he says, "Not as many are in this area as I would like to see."

After serving a three-year stint in the Army and earning a B.S. from Morgan State University, Latney took a job with FedEx Corp in 1997. A year later, he was transferred to New Jersey but returned to Baltimore the following year, A corporate securities specialist bringing home more than $70,000 a year, Latney handles crime investigations involving FedEx packages, fraud, workplace violence, and embezzlement.

He is keen on the city's booming real estate market and ongoing neighborhood revitalization. "There are still a lot of fantastic deals in the city." In 2000, through a first-time home buyers program, he purchased a house for $130,000 that is valued today at $172,000. "In a lot of the surrounding counties, real estate values are going through the roof. You can't get a single-family home for less than $400,000," says Latney.

Though he may be single and childless, the Baltimorean takes issue with public education, which "could use some work." The crime rate, fueled by drugs, is another major concern. "There are still a lot of outlying areas that are coming under siege by drugs and violence. There needs to be a more concentrated effort to clean up those communities so that the property values in those areas can also go up," he adds, giving credit to Police Commissioner Kevin Clark and his crime reduction plan. "It is going to take community involvement, not just the police department."

--Carolyn M. Brown

10

BALTIMORE

Main Industries

Business services, healthcare, and education

Landmarks

Lexington Market, Blacks in Wax Museum

Annual Events

African American Heritage Festival

B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies

Health Resources Inc.

Top Black Officials

Jeanne D. Hitchock, deputy mayor; Sheila

Dixon, president, city council; Elijah E.

Cummings, U.S. Rep.; Kevin Clark, police

commissioner

Websites

www.ci.baltimore.md.us

BALTIMORE RETURNS TO THE LIST IN THE NO. 10 SPOT. ECHOING SURVEY results. Baltimore is jam-packed with black-oriented cultural and recreational activities, including the soon-to-be completed Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Oriole Park, and an Inner Harbor bustling with shops, nightclubs, and restaurants.

The survey reveals that Baltimoreans have concerns about quality of life: The social scene is wanting, public schools are lacking, and job opportunities are in short supply. The area's recent job growth and future job growth figures are a minuscule 0.5% and moderate 15.1%, respectively. However, at 8.1%, Baltimore has the third lowest number of jobless African Americans of the top 10. Sheila Dixon, city council president and chair of the Board of Estimates, points to new biotech facilities at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland which will create new jobs, as well as the relocation of Morgan Stanley from New York City.

Respondents remain content with earnings potential, cost of living, healthcare, and housing prices. While the city's medical cost index is below average, its cost of living index is above the national average. About 32.2% of black households earn more than $50,000, third after Washington, D.C,, and Atlanta. The average new home sells for $206,862.

The percentage of blacks holding high school diplomas, al: 72.9%, lags behind other top cities. "We are reforming our high schools by making them smaller and focusing on industry sectors (e.g., science, finance, and business) ... a new phenomenon here in the city," says Dixon, noting considerable changes since the state took control in 1997.

Respondents are dissatisfied with black entrepreneurship. In spite of boasting 1.3 million African American inhabitants, the region's density of black residents per black-owned business is low. Baltimore also received low marks for crime and relations between the black community and the police department.

Since taking the helm, the city's police commissioner, Kevin Clark, has been tough on violent crime, which is down 14%. Property crime is down 10%. Clark has increased policing of notorious neighborhoods as part of his war on the drug trade. He has arranged sensitivity and interpersonal skills training tier patrol officers and has made the department more accessible to black civic leaders.

--C.M.B.

After living in Cleveland for most of his life, Zachary Hill found Columbus a welcome change. Hill, 48, moved to the area seven years ago when his job as a claims team manager for State Farm Insurance led to a transfer.

Hill believes that the economy is much stronger in Columbus. "My take is that the employment situation was a lot better than Cleveland.... Columbus is a more service-orientated town," he says. The salary range for Hill's position can be anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000.

Hill and his wife, Joan, have two college-age children, Zachary Jamaal, 21, is a student at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and Leslie, 19, is enrolled at Wellesley College in Boston. Also a Cleveland native, Joan, 45, is the principal of a private elementary school. "I think it's a very good city for families," says Hill, noting that Columbus may be particularly attractive to young black families because of its strong housing market.

"The real estate market is more wide open; African Americans have a lot more choices," says Hill, who bought a home for around $250,000 in 1998, "It's not as segregated. African Americans can move anywhere they feel." He does admit to missing the cultural diversity found in Cleveland but says Columbus is quickly becoming more cosmopolitan. "The city is becoming more diverse and has a lot more activities that are multicultural," he notes.

The fact that Columbus has several high-profile African Americans in local government is also a draw for black residents, Hill believes. Columbus, a city in which African Americans only constitute about 25% of the total population, has a black mayor, police chief, fire chief, and city schools superintendent. "I think it's definitely a symbol of the potential opportunities that exist here," surmises Hill.

--Christina Morgan

9

COLUMBUS, OH

Main Industries

Distribution, electronics, manufacturing, and high technology

Landmarks

The King Arts Complex

Annual Events

The Heritage Concert Series

Top Black Officials

Michael B. Coleman, mayor; James G. Jackson, chief of police; Ned Pettus Jr., fire chief; Gene T. Harris, school superintendent

Websites

www.ci.columbus.oh.us; www.gc-aacc.org

A NEWCOMER TO THE TOP 10 LIST, COLUMBUS IS SET APART BY its location. It is bucking the trend of population decline suffered by other Midwestern cities, Since 1990, the city's population has increased 12.4%, according to 2000 Census figures.

In spite of a black city population of 25.8% of some 700.000 residents, an African American holds the position of mayor. Nonetheless, survey respondents were dissatisfied with the level of power and influence of African Americans in their community.

"We are a city where our best days are ahead of us. not behind us," says Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who, now in his fourth year, is not alone in his optimism, Respondents gave Columbus high marks for its low cost of living, housing prices. healthcare, and earnings potential.

Indeed, the city's cost of living and medical cost indices are below the national averages, and the number of doctors per capita is above the national average. Future job growth is a respectable 15.3% for a city with diverse economic sectors ranging from technology to education.

Columbus' average new home price of $252.665 is the second highest after Washington. D.C. Although its overall unemployment rate is lower than other major cities, Columbus has the highest black unemployment rate at 13.4%, which is well above the national average.

Coleman points to initiatives developed under the Columbus Urban Growth Corp. to drive joint public-private development. deals. One such deal, the city's West Edge Business Center project, has garnered more than $60 million in private investment for a new office/light industrial park. It is expected to bring approximately 1,000 jobs to an economically challenged neighborhood. "I have tried to persuade [private investors] that it's good business to do business in an inner-city neighborhood," says Coleman.

Respondents expressed dissatisfaction with public services from schools to transit. Columbus graduates 15.4% of its black students from four-year colleges. Its rate of students graduating high school, at 78.1%, is the fourth highest on Bids list. A near $1 billion bond-levy is paving the way for renovations and new construction of school buildings.

--C.M.

Cleveland native Henry Burns Jr. planned to live in Memphis for only two years when his job transferred him there in 1989. "That's how much I ended up liking it," says Burns 15 years later. A divorced father of two adult children (a son, 28, and daughter, 25), Burns has worked in the restaurant business for close to 30 years. He has managed to do well for himself in Memphis. The 54-year-old restaurant manager for Cracker Barrel earns an annual income of $65,000--more than twice the average annual pay for African Americans in Memphis.

Three years after moving to Memphis, Burns purchased his home for $62,000. The three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom dwelling is located in Memphis' middle-class Whitehaven community. Once a predominantly white neighborhood, notes Burns, Whitehaven's demographics--60% African American and 40% white--are representative of Memphis today.

Memphis is growing, says Burns, and with a new basketball team (the Memphis Grizzlies), construction of a $250 million sports arena, and a riverfront development project, Memphis is on its way to becoming the belle of the South. "Memphis is sort of the hub of the South," Burns says, pointing out that it has attracted more businesses over the past 10 years.

The city's educational system continues to be a bone of contention for Burns and other residents. Both of his children graduated from Memphis' public school system, which has been through three superintendents since he moved there. "Everybody comes in with a dynamic plan to fix the system, fix the learning process; so we end up spending a lot of money, they end up leaving, and we're back to square one again," says Burns, noting neither of his children are college graduates.

The grandfather of three has concerns about the quality of education for the next generation. When the time comes, Burns says he may consider sending them to private school.

--Aisha I. Jefferson

8

MEMPHIS, TN

Main Industries

Healthcare, biomedical research, high technology, and communications

Landmarks

National Civil Rights Museum, Soulsville: STAX Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis Rock 'N' Soul Museum

Annual Events

Southern Heritage Football Classic, Juneteenth Freedom & Heritage Festival

Top Black Officials

Willie W. Herenton, mayor; Harold E. Ford Jr., U.S. Rep.; James Bolden, police director; Carol Johnson, school superintendent; Joe Brown, chairman, city council

Websites

www.cityofmemphis.org; www.blackmemphis.com

SITUATED ON THE LOWER CHICKASAW BLUFF ABOVE THE MISSISSIPPI River, Memphis is home to the blues, the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, and 397,202 African Americans who make up 61% of the total population--the third highest black percentage of the top 10.

"Memphis evolved from a racially segregated city to an urban metropolis with an African American majority," says Mayor Willie W. Herenton. In 1991, the Memphis native made history as the city's first elected black mayor. Last October, he attained another historical triumph by becoming the city's first mayor elected to a fourth consecutive term. African Americans occupy local government, including seven of 13 city council posts.

"Bluff City" is best known as a manufacturer of textiles, heating equipment, and automobile and truck parts. It's also a major transportation center, serving as FedEx's headquarters and a Northwest Airlines hub. These features, Herenton says, help create employment opportunities. Unfortunately, they're not enough.

Although future job growth looks bright--19.2%--recent job growth appears bleak at -0.8%. The black unemployment rate--11.3%--is above the national average for African Americans and the total U.S. population. Memphis is near the bottom of BE's list with a median black household income of $31,417 and just 24.3% of black households earning above $50,000.

What makes Memphis appealing? Affordable housing. Black homeownership at 57% is above the national average, and second only to Birmingham, Alabama. The average price for a new home is $183,095, the lowest next to Houston. Memphis' cost of living is the lowest among the top 10 and its medical cost index is well below the national average.

Of note, Memphis and Atlanta were the only cities where respondents reported positive African American community/local law enforcement relationships. However, Memphians were dissatisfied with public safety given an exceedingly high violent crime rate.

Although Memphis has the lowest pupil/teacher ratio on the top 10 at 14.2, it has the worst record for African Americans holding high school diplomas at 69.6%. Not surprisingly, respondents are dissatisfied with the quality of public schools. Having worked in the city school system as a teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools, Herenton reiterates his commitment, to improving the education system.

--A.I.J.

Angela K. Lewis returned last Hay to her hometown of Birmingham. After completing her graduate work at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, the 31-year-old Ph.D. said that she needed to come back and live in a place where there was a large, progressive black community--73.6% of the total population to be exact.

Lewis works as an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, teaching undergraduate courses in environmental racism, black politics, and American government. The university is literally just down the hill from where she went to high school.

Even though the city still evokes haunting memories as one of the explosive epicenters of the civil rights movement ("I am in Birmingham because injustice is here," wrote Dr, King in his famous letter from a Birmingham jail), Lewis believes education will help newcomers understand the city's past and future potential.

If Lewis has a bone to pick with the city, it's not with the cost of living or the nightlife. "We do have active church ministries, jazz clubs, salsa classes, and theater. ... I've met eligible men [here]," she says. However, as a young, single woman anticipating marriage and children in the future, Lewis hesitates at the thought of sending her kids to Birmingham's public schools. "I am a product of [that] school system. I turned out OK, [so] I know they have the capability, [but] I think we need new leadership.... Citywide there is a change, but not in the school system," she says.

Among other changes she would like to see is a more aggressive urban renewal plan in conjunction with real estate development. "[Birmingham] is a great place to live and raise a family, and there are a lot of black professionals here. [When I have] children, I want them to see blacks leading the city."

--Anthony Calypso

7

BIRHINGHAH, AL

Main Industries

Medical research, banking, music, technology, engineering, and higher education

Landmarks

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church (site of infamous bombing of four little girls), George Washington Carver Interpretive Museum Booker T. Washington Home

Annual Events

Heritage Festival

Top Black Officials

Bernard Kincaid, mayor; Annetta W. Nunn, police chief; Lee Wendell Loder, president, city council; Artur Davis. U.S. Rep.; Carole C. Smitherman, president, pro tern, city council

Websites

www.informationbirmingnam.com

AMERICAN IDOL REUBEN STUDDARD IS NOT THE ONLY BIRMINGHAM native staging "Sweet Home Alabama." A newcomer to the list, Birmingham is the least populous city among the top 10, but it has a city population that is nearly 75% African American. A city historically known as one of the major front lines in the civil rights movement, Birmingham continues to have a relatively high black/white residential segregation rate. It's no surprise respondents were less than satisfied with race relations in their city,

In spite of those facts. Birmingham boasts the lower black/white home loan rejection ratio among the top 10 and has the highest percentage of African American homeowners, 58%. Survey respondents indicated above average satisfaction with cost of living and housing. Indeed, the city's cost of living index is well below the national average.

"Birmingham is the new face of the South," says Brett Oates, the mayor's director of public information. Birmingham's downtown area has several housing developments in the works designed to help attract people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. "We found that people were getting tired of the [long] commute back home to the suburbs of the city.... The property [downtown] is valuable. African Americans who fled the city are rediscovering [it] as a place to live," he adds.

Besides an African American mayor, Bernard Kincaid, and a predominately African American city council, an African American woman, Annetta W, Nunn, serves as chief of police of the largest police department in the state of Alabama Nonetheless, respondents were less than satisfied with the performance of local elected officials and the power and influence the black community wields. Of the top 10, Birmingham had the fourth lowest violent crime rate, mirroring residents' general satisfaction with public safety.

Birmingham graduates 14.6% of African Americans from four-year colleges. The city's black high school graduation rate is 74.2%. Respondents were pleased with healthcare. Birmingham has the third lowest medical cost index.

A negative: The black unemployment rate is above the national average. Birmingham also has the least number of black residents per black-owned business among the top 10, as reflected by respondents' lack of confidence in entrepreneurial pursuits.

--A.C.

Gregory and Robyn Massey can't imagine anything that could lure them away from Charlotte, which they say represents the best of urban life. For the Masseys, it has provided a rich environment for growing their careers. Greg, 45, is an accounting manager with Duke Energy Corp. where he's worked for more than 20 years. Robyn, 44, is a 20-year veteran and project executive at IBM.

A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Greg attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, earning a B.S. in accounting. Robyn, who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, also attended UNC Charlotte, earning a B.A. in mathematics. Recognizing the impending economic boom, Greg stayed in Charlotte after graduation. Robyn moved to Atlanta but returned to marry Greg in 1987. Since then, the couple has lived in the University Area, metropolitan Charlotte's most diverse neighborhood.

People from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds have migrated to Charlotte from all over the North and South. The city attracts folks "looking for a big-city atmosphere but not a lot of the big-city problems," says Robyn. Charlotte embraces diversity in business, culture, and politics, notes Greg. They have no children, but the Masseys believe that Charlotte's good schools and low crime rate are positives for raising a family.

The couple, whose total household income exceeds $150,000, is looking to take advantage of the city's entrepreneurial prospects. This past spring, they researched the pros and cons of opening a designer shoe store in a mall versus in a shopping strip.

The Masseys have found local business owners open to sharing information. "The supportive nature of the African American community here has made it very easy for us to network," says Robyn, who has an M.B.A. from Wake Forest, "and get input on what we should be looking for as aspiring entrepreneurs."

--Cliff Hocker

6

CHARLOTTE, NC

Main Industries

Financial services, manufacturing, IT, software, transportation, and travel

Landmarks

Levine Museum of the New South

Annual Events

Juneteenth

B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies

American Product Distributors Inc.

Top Black Officials

Patrick De'Angelo Cannon, mayor pro tem, city council: Melvin L. Watt, U.S. Rep.; James L. Pughsley, school superintendent; Harry Jones, county manager

Websites

www.ci.charlotte.nc.us/home.htm

THE "QUEEN CITY" APPEARS AGAIN ON THE TOP 10 AS ONE OF THE FEW cities without an African American mayor. Survey respondents were not satisfied with the performance of elected officials but were satisfied with the overall power and influence of Charlotte's black community.

The metropolitan area earned high marks for cost of living, diversity, and economic growth. Respondents also were satisfied with the quality of healthcare, even though Charlotte's number of physicians per capita is the lowest among the top 10 and well below the national average.

Charlotte residents were disappointed with the dearth of black-owned businesses. The city's density of residents per black business is significantly less than that of top contenders Washington, D.C., and Houston. African Americans own only 6.2% of the area's businesses. Charlotte residents have high hopes that BET founder Robert L. Johnson's ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA basketball franchise--a major-league sports team first--will influence other African American entrepreneurs.

Charlotte is a youthful, mobile hub for professionals (the median age of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's population is 32.8). Residents expressed satisfaction with earnings potential and career opportunities. Future job growth is fairly strong at 18.7%. Nearly 76,000 jobs were created by $8.6 billion invested in new business development over the past decade. Black unemployment in Charlotte is 8.2%, which is the fourth lowest of the cop 10.

Income disparities in Charlotte are not atypical. The median black household income of $38,604 is the fourth highest, among the top 10, and 29.6% of black households earn more than $50,000 a year. Charlotte prates third in terms of black homeownership at 55.5%.

The city and 15 nearby counties boast four universities, 11 liberal arts colleges, and 10 community colleges. However, only 16.5% of black adults have bachelor's degrees, number six out of the top 10. Slightly better is the city's 74.7% rate for blacks attaining high school diplomas.

One-third of Charlotte's population is African American. The dissimilarity index is 55.2. This relatively low number indicates substantial racial interaction compared to cities with a higher index of say 87.2, which are more segregated. Not surprising, survey respondents expressed general satisfaction with race relations in Charlotte.

--C.H.

"For an artist who likes the freedom to do work on any scale, Houston was a perfect place," says Rick Lowe. In 1985, Lowe moved from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Houston because of its reputation for having plenty of space at cheap rental costs where up-and-coming artists could exhibit their work.

Over the years, the 42-year-old artist, who pulls in around $60,000 a year, has completed billboard-size paintings and large sculptures exploring issues such as domestic violence and police brutality. One of Lowe's heroes was legendary artist John Biggers, who completed several paintings depicting shotgun-style houses that convey images of Southern black poverty. But for Biggers, who had grown up around them, they were supportive environments. Lowe thought it would be an interesting experiment to "see how that would work in real life, to create a real-life John Biggers painting."

In 1994, Lowe purchased 22 shotgun-style row houses for $122,000, with help from a private foundation, in the heart of Houston's predominantly black Third Ward. He renovated 10 of them for artists to use as studios and exhibition spaces on a six-month basis. Renovations cost around $80,000, with much of the work done by volunteers. It was a way to unite artists and the communities they served.

"Our stance was that low-income African Americans deserve quality cultural experiences," Lowe says. He called his site Project Row Houses. In the following years, he renovated the remaining houses, offering several on a yearly basis to single mothers who were in transition.

Project Row Houses has drawn artisans from across the city, the country, and the world--from as far away as Brazil, Taiwan, China, and Nigeria. What the Houston artist likes best about his town is the "sense of optimism that resonates throughout the entire city. People believe in the possibility of things happening here."

--T.R. Witcher

5

HOUSTON

Main Industries

Energy, petroleum, aerospace, manufacturing, technology, tourism, and conventions

Landmarks

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum; Ensemble Theatre

Annual Events

Juneteeth Celebration, "Independence Day" for Texans of African descent

B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies

CAMAC International Inc., Total Premier Services Inc., ChaseCom L.P.

Top Black Officials

Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Rep.; Harold L. Hurt, police chief; El Franco Lee, county commissioner

Websites

ww.cityofhouston.gov; www.blackhouston.com

"ROCKET CITY'S" FALL FROM GRACE AS BE'S BEST CITY FOR AFRICAN Americans in 2001 can be tied to a soaring black unemployment rate, high violent crime rate, above average medical cost index, and moderate future job growth, compared to other top 10 finalists. Five other top cities fared better than Houston in terms of its median black household income ($35,562), percentage of black households earning more than $50,000 annually (29.1%), and number of black homeowners (51.8%).

Houston received high satisfaction ratings from respondents for quality of life. Indeed, the city's cost of living index is well below the national average and second only to Memphis. The average price for a new home, at just under $180,000, is the best among the top 10 cities. Next to Washington. D.C., and Atlanta, black businesses abound in Houston, which has 30 African American residents for every black business. Moreover, African Americans constitute 25% of 2 million residents and own nearly 24,286 businesses, more than one-fifth of the city's total.

The city's industry has diversified from petrochemicals to include space technology (NASA's Johnson Space Center is nearby) and medical technology (Houston's Texas Medical Center is one of the country's premier health research and care campuses). Although Enron remains a sore spot with regard to the city's business community, Houston is corporate headquarters for 18 Fortune 500 companies.

A recent study on racial profiling in the Lone Star State revealed that approximately six of every seven law enforcement agencies searched African American and Latino motorists more than whites, following a traffic stop. The Houston Police Department was more than three times as likely to search black motorists. Although it was one of the first departments in the country and state to adopt data collection, the findings demonstrate that Houston police have lots of work left to do.

Survey respondents may be mulling over the quality of Houston's public schools, but the city's black high school graduation rate of 77.5% and black college graduation rate of 18.4% are above the national averages. Houston's first lady, Andrea White, wife of Mayor Bill White, oversees a foundation that has raised $70 million from wealthy donors and corporations to support Houston's public schools.

--T.R.W.

Back in the 1970s, when Nashville native Betty Hardy Hines was in her 20s, she left her hometown to move to nearby Memphis, Tennessee, and then on to the big city of Philadelphia. "I had graduated from school, and I'd never been away from home. When I got to Philadelphia, I fell in love with the city."

Fast forward to 1997. After the death of her husband, Dudley, Hines left the "City of Brotherly Love." Nashville welcomed a native daughter home. It's like you re coming back as a stranger in your own hometown," says Hines, of returning to Nashville after having lived away for so long. "I fell back in love with my city."

One of the first things she appreciated was the cost of living. She notes that a four-bedroom home in Philadelphia costs around $500,000, compared to $150,000 to $200,000 in Nashville. A part-time dental hygienist, Hines is the sole proprietor of image consultant firm New Attitude Inc., which has taught entertainers and corporate executives style and social graces. The fiftysomething maven also found Nashville to be ripe with opportunities for both entrepreneurs and professionals in her field.

Dental hygienists right out of school can make $185 to $200 per day. For experienced hygienists, the pay is around $250 to $300 per day. As a business owner, Hines likes the city's centralized location, making it a magnet for people across the country. "Nashville affords everyone opportunities to fulfill their dreams in fields like music, sports, and art," she says. And educational institutions such as Meharry Medical College, of which Hines is an alumna, attract ambitious people.

Hines points to gains African Americans have made since she was a child. "When I was growing up in Nashville, it was 8% black," she says. Today, it's about 27%. "We have more blacks in city council; we have a vice mayor that's black."

Judging from Hines' experience, natives who migrated should give the "Athens of the South"--named for Nashville's classical architecture--another look.

--Tamara Holmes

4

NASHVILLE, TN

Main Industries

Healthcare, high technology, tourism, music, and entertainment

Landmarks

Fisk University Carl Van Vechten Art Gallery

Annual Events

Jefferson Street Jazz & Blues Festival; The African Street Festival

Top Black Officials

Howard C. Gentry, Jr., vice mayor

Websites

www.nashville.com; www.nashville.gov

"MUSIC CITY U.S.A." IS A NEW ENTRY TO THE TOP 10 WITH LOW COST of living as the biggest draw. Only Houston and Memphis had lower cost of living indices than Nashville. "The cost of living compared to other large cities is amazingly low," says Vice Mayor Howard C. Gentry Jr. That "provides an opportunity for a person to take a medium-level job and live comfortably, or start a career here and be able to grow and advance and not be so overly concerned about income."

This is key, given the median black household income is $33,630 and just a little more than one-fourth earn beyond $50,000. Despite overall and black unemployment rates that are well below national averages and future job growth at 20.7%--second to Atlanta--respondents were unenthusiastic about their job prospects.

Home to Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College, Nashville is a black education center. It's also home to the Citizens Savings Bank & Trust of Nashville (No. 24 on the BE BANKS list with $54.8 million in assets), the oldest minority-owned bank in the country. Nashville places fourth among the top 10 in terms of number of black residents for every black business.

The city's medical cost index is below the national average. This corresponds with respondents satisfaction with the quality of healthcare. The middle Tennessee area, which includes Nashville, is home to more than 290 healthcare companies reports the Nashville Health Care Council. Of note, Nashville had the highest score relating to the quality and availability of childcare facilities, an area that garnered low scores in every other city polled except Houston.

Even though Nashville's violent crime rate is more than double the national average, respondents were only slightly dissatisfied with overall crime in their city and community relationships between African Americans and local law enforcement.

Nashville is one of five cities among the top 10 without a black mayor. Respondents were satisfied with the performance of their elected officials, but less than satisfied with the level of power and influence of African Americans in the community. Gentry says that his position as the city's first black vice mayor is a step in the right direction.

--T.H.

The sense of feeling welcome is what Carol and Michael Davis like most about Dallas. "Michael is a native son. I have no history, no roots here, and still I find the city inviting," says Carol, who grew up in the Washington, D,C., area. Until four years ago, the couple was living and working in New York City. Michael's employer, JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management, reassigned him to Dallas to help set up a regional office. Married six months at the time, Carol moved with him.

"We realized there was a high concentration of corporate retirement plans," says Michael, one of the first African American managing directors in the institutional asset management division. "We were looking to build a franchise here.... The city has changed a lot since I grew up. It is much more eclectic," adds the graduate of the University of Texas and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Since the couple was trying to start a family, cost of living was a major concern. "We wanted to be in a position where we would have the luxury of my staying home with a baby or going to work based on what was convenient, so we wouldn't be under any financial pressure," explains Carol, who studied engineering as an undergraduate at Princeton and earned her M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Indeed, she took care of their daughter during her first 15 months from the comfort of their single-family home. Today, Carol works part time as an independent consultant in healthcare management.

The thirtysomething couple, who have a household income over $100,000, opted for in-home childcare, but they have identified good preschool programs for their 2-year-old, "I've been involved in the local preschool association in our neighborhood, the east part of Dallas," says Carol, noting the availability of various resources, including those for stay-at-home moms.

--Carolyn M. Brown

3

DALLAS

Main Industries

Technology, telecommunications, banking, financial services, and healthcare

Landmarks

Fair Park/African American Museum

Annual Events

Black Invitational Rodeo; Grambling vs. Prairie View A&M State Fair Classic

B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies

Facility Interiors Inc.

Top Black Officials

Donald W. Hill, deputy mayor pro tem, city council; Eddie Bernice Johnson, U.S. Rep.; Charles W. Daniels, assistant city mayor; John Wiley Rice, county commissioner

Websites

www.dallascityhall.com; www.dallasblack.com

DALLAS RETURNS TO THE BEST CITIES LIST AT NO. 3, UP FROM NO. 8 IN 2001. Dallas placed third among the top 10 cities in median household income for black families, future job growth, and black high school graduation rate. Survey respondents had mixed reactions about this Sun Belt city. They were pleased with Dallas' cost of living and the quality of medical care. Although the city's cost of living index is below the national average, its medical cost index is well above it and there are relatively low numbers of doctors per capita.

Respondents were dissatisfied with the availability of African American enterprises, even though Dallas has a relatively high number of black residents per black business. They also were pessimistic about their employment outlook. Dallas' black unemployment rate, though somewhat high at 9.5%, is less than the national average.

Dallas is distinct in that it is the only city among the top 10 with a white female mayor. Mayor Laura Miller, now in her second term, holds the office vacated by the city's first black mayor, Ron Kirk. Miller has solicited Kirk's aid as part of her strike team, formed to help implement a $2 million budget designated to strengthen economic development, including "going out and aggressively attracting" companies to move to Dallas' Southern sector, which has large African American and Latino communities.

Based on the findings of a jobs task force study, "We have been able to identify where the jobs are in the next 10 years," says Miller. Plans are in the works with community colleges to provide job-training programs to help prepare local Texans for future work. Also on the agenda is the creation of a formal internship program between Dallas public schools and local businesses.

Housing is another major initiative. A little less than 50% of the city's African American residents own homes. The city has received $5 million in private grants to create more affordable housing. Being implemented are 31 recommendations indicated by a housing study. Among them is a $3 million bond package that is being used to establish a land bank to acquire vacant properties on which to build affordable homes.

--C.M.B.

African American professionals can build prosperous careers in the capital city, especially those hoping to play a role in national politics. "There's a mentality here that there's enough for everyone; you're not competing for what feels like a limited number of opportunities," says 29-year-old Muthoni Wambu.

Like most Washingtonians, Wambu is a transplant. She left New York City's Upper West Side to study journalism at Howard University and then networked her way into a political fundraising job with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. This was a new aspect of politics for Wambu, who soon discovered that it "brought together my strengths in a way that I'd never anticipated."

In 2000, Wambu and Vera Baker, another Howard alum, started Baker-Wambu & Associates. The firm has raised over $3 million for the campaigns of members of Congress and other politicians. "Washington is the best place for our firm to blossom and grow, and one of the only cities where two 24-year-old African American women [could have built a successful business] with pennies and a dream," she says.

Wambu moved to her neighborhood a few years back, when it was on the cusp of change, and has watched its value multiply over a relatively short period of time. She currently rents an apartment, but in the next year she plans to buy a house and is looking to spend around $400,000. During her 12 years in Washington, D.C., Wambu says that she also has seen the cost of living escalate.

Wambu's job provides many opportunities to socialize--often with the nation's most influential business and political leaders. "It is unique to find the number of African Americans that you see at these power restaurants, and [it's] also extremely encouraging," she says.

--Joyce Jones

2

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Main Industries

Government, professional associations, financial services, healthcare, media, and tourism

Landmarks

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, African American civil War Memorial Black Fashion Museum, Mary McLeod Bethune Council House

Annual Events

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference

Top Black Officials

Anthony A. Williams. mayor; Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. Rep.; Charles H. Ramsey, chief of police; Adrian H. Thompson, fire chief

Websites

www.dc.gov; www.NationalBCC.org

A CITY THAT ONCE EARNED A REPUTATION AS THE "MURDER CAPITAL," Washington, D.C., is enjoying a renaissance of sorts under Mayor Anthony A. Williams. The violent crime rate for the nation's capital is well below the averse for other top 10 cities. Still, survey respondents expressed overall dissatisfaction with public safety.

"We don't have the same community policing focus other cities have. Even in well-to-do neighborhoods, there are a lot of complaints about the police department and its lack of visibility and ability to focus on a particular problem area," says City Councilman Adrian Fenty. "A lot of it is long-time perceptions and some of it is the need for continued management improvement."

The district maintains its No. 2 spot with respondents optimistic about career and business opportunities. It has the second lowest black unemployment rate, at 7.6%, of the top 10--well below the national average of 10.2%.

African Americans, who constitute 60% of Washington's total population, are among the nation's best educated and highest paid. The city tops the list with 81.3% of African Americans holding high school diplomas and places first with 24.1% earning bachelor's degrees. The metropolitan area boasts the highest black household incomes among the top 10 and 45.7% of black families earn $50,000-plus.

Respondents expressed concern over the high cost of living, and rightly so. Washington's cost of living index, which is 125.4%, places it well above the national average and is the highest of all the cities on BE's list. Many of the city's 120 neighborhoods are experiencing gentrification. As a result, property values are off the charts. While a little more than 50% of African American residents own homes, the average home price is $354,663, compared to $178,851 for Houston and $236,567 for the national average. Even the average apartment rents for almost twice that of other cities.

Respondents were extremely pleased with entrepreneurial opportunities. Black Washingtonians own 10,909 of the city's 45,297 businesses. "We have tried to set up an environment where [you] can flourish, whether you're a one-person shop or a large firm," says Chris Bender of the Office of Planning and Economic Development.

--J.J.

When visitors come to town, Marsha and Willie Middleton II do the rudimentary run by the World of Coco-Cola, Lenox Square mall, and the MLK Historic Site. The thirtysomething couple also loves showing off high-end neighborhood houses. "When friends come, we try re convince them to move here," says Marsha, a London native and a graduate of Florida A&M University.

With a household income around $120,000, the couple was able to buy a home--three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a full basement, and a backyard for their small dog, Chico--in the 'burbs for $144,000 three years ago. "Friends are normally amazed," says Marsha, a public relations manager at the Four Seasons Hotel. "People think Atlanta's cost of living is comparable to New York or Washington D.C., but when you move to the outskirts, you get more value for your dollar."

The Middletons plan to move to Fayette County, part of the 16-county metro Atlanta area, in the next few years to be closer to Willie's parents. The parents of a newborn son want to take advantage of the public school system there.

Willie also looks forward to building their next home from scratch--typical for Atlantans. "With me building, I'll save 30% to 40%," says the University of Georgia graduate and former city field engineer. Currently self-employed, Willie along with other investors, buys and renovates homes.

Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn, who has spent the past three years in the city, has quickly connected with the city's movers and shakers. His foundation initiated a program to help single women with children become first-time homeowners. "This was my way of putting my personal stamp on the city."

Accessibility makes Atlanta a well of opportunity for black entrepreneurship. "Corporations, community organizations, and government entities all believe in inclusiveness," says Cynthia R. Jones, president of Jones Worley Communications, an environmental graphic design consultancy that she launched in the city 15 years ago. "Minorities have the option to be heard and, even though they may not get a contract, they can still get in doors."

--Nadirah Sabir

1

ATLANTA

Main Industries

Banking, financial services, publishing, electronics, and government services

Landmarks

The King Center; The AU (Atlanta University) Center

Annual Events

National Black Arts Festival; Fall (Football) Classics

B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies

Herman J. Russell & Co., The Gourmet Companies, Sanderson Industries, Inc.

Top Black Officials

Shirley Franklin, mayor; Richard Pennington, police chief; Beverly L. Hall, school superintendent; John Lewis, U.S. Rep.; Brad Hubbert, chairman, board of transportation

Websites

www.atlantaga.gov; www.ebonypages.com

"HOTLANTA" CONTINUES ITS LEGENDARY DRAW IN BUSINESS, HOUSING, and education. Atlanta moved to the top of the list, driven primarily by respondents' high level of satisfaction with entrepreneurial opportunities, earnings potential, and cultural activities. Future job growth is strong at 23%--the highest of the entire 10 finalists. Atlanta is home to a high number of black-owned businesses.

African Americans make up 61% of Atlanta's population. U.S. Census data reveals that the metropolitan area's black population increased by more than 38% between 1990 and 2000. "Most cities would die to have that problem," counters Atlanta's first woman and first black female mayor, Shirley Franklin. Stepping up to the challenge of addressing the city's infrastructure needs brought on by the population boom, City Hall approved $3.3 billion for water and sewer system expansion, $73 billion for transportation upgrades, and a $5.5 billion expansion of Hartsfield-Jackson international Airport.

On a negative note, Atlanta metro has been labeled one of the worst cities for crime. The violent crime rate for the city is more than four times higher than the rate for Atlanta metro and surrounding urban areas. In 2002, Police Chief Richard J. Pennington was recruited from New Orleans and appointed by Franklin. Under his leadership, the violent crime rate dropped 15% in 2003 and another 6% in the first quarter of 2004.

On a positive note, the southern hub houses some of the wealthiest enclaves of African American families, coming in fourth for incomes topping $100,000. Over a third of black Atlantans have an annual household income of more than $50,000, second to Washington, D.C., on BE's list. More than 55% of blank Atlantans are homeowners.

"The fact that we nave several Fortune 500 Companies here gives African American professionals ample opportunities to have very successful careers and rise to high levels within those corporations," says Ray M. Robinson, president of East Lake Golf Club, whose community renewal program is a model for troubled neighborhoods.

As Mayor Franklin sees it, Atlanta is "a hot economy every sector--public and private."

--N.S.

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

How We Ranked The Cities

Over a five-week period, between Feb. 5 and March 12, 2004, participants were asked to evaluate their cities based on their level of satisfaction with 21 quality-of-life factors. Responses ranged from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied), with 3 being neutral. The total for each quality-of-life factor was divided by the number of respondents who rated that issue, resulting in a mean rating ranging from 1 to 5--with a total of 105 considered a perfect score.

Although more than 300 cities were nominated, with cumulative scores averaging 59.15, only those cities with more than 30 responses and an overall "satisfied" rating greater than 60.00 were given top consideration. So, major metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles had more than 50 residents respond to the survey, but their final tallies were only 55.50 and 53.43, respectively. This methodolgy gave us our survey ranking of 12 top cities.

From there we looked at actual city demographic and socioeconomic data. We analyzed the performance of each city in 13 selected criteria, including local black unemployment rate, black homeownership, black-owned businesses, average new home price, black high school and college graduation rates, and black household earnings. This information was critical because it revealed whether black residents' perceptions of urban quality of life in their cities matched statistical evidence. Each city was ranked in those categories from 1 to 12, with combined numbers used to arrive at a total score. Cities were rated from best to worst performance to determine the final BE ranking: "Top Cities for African Americans."

Final Tally

       TOP 10              B.E.          SURVEY
      CITIES *           RANKING         RANKING         RANK
                           2004           2004           2001

Atlanta, GA                 1             71.06           3
Washington, DC              2             67.12           2
Dallas, TX                  3             63.85           8
Nashville, TN               4             63.57           NR
Houston, TX                 5             70.12           1
Charlotte, NC               6             67.64           4
Birmingham, AL              7             66.18           NR
Memphis, TN                 8             65.74           5
Columbus, OH                9             63.33           NR
Baltimore, MD              10             60.98           7

B.E. Cities Average                       65.96
National Average

TOP 10                    TOTAL          BLACKS
CITIES *                POPULATION        (MSA)       BLACK (MSA)
                        (MSA)2000         2000         2000 (%)

Atlanta, GA            4,247,981.00   1,199,428.00       28.2
Washington, DC         4,796,183.00   1,307,056.00       27.3
Dallas, TX             5,161,544.00     536,426.00       10.4
Nashville, TN          1,311,789.00     195,784.00       14.9
Houston, TX            4,715,407.00     732,817.00       15.5
Charlotte, NC          1,330,448.00     310,334.00       23.3
Birmingham, AL         1,052,238.00     277,997.00       26.4
Memphis, TN            1,205,204.00     494,121.00       41.0
Columbus, OH           1,612,694.00     217,715.00       13.5
Baltimore, MD          2,552,994.00     710,184.00       27.8

B.E. Cities Average    2,798,648.20     598,186.20       22.8
National Average                                         12.9

TOP 10                    BLACKS
CITIES *                  % CITY
                        POPULATION

Atlanta, GA                61.6
Washington, DC             60.5
Dallas, TX                 26.1
Nashville, TN              27.3
Houston, TX                25.4
Charlotte, NC              33.0
Birmingham, AL             73.6
Memphis, TN                61.6
Columbus, OH               25.8
Baltimore, MD              64.8

B.E. Cities Average        47.0
National Average           12.9

* ALL DATA ARE FOR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS (MSA) UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED. MSA IS DEFINED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU AS A
CORE URBANIZED AREA AND ITS SURROUNDING URBANIZED COUNTIES WITH
A TOTAL POPULATION OF 100,000 OR MORE INHABITANTS.

** TOTAL COST OF LIVING AS AN INDEX AGAINST NATIONAL AVERAGE; NATIONAL
AVERAGE EQUALS 100.

*** REJECTION RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR CONVENTIONAL HOME LOANS.

**** DISSIMILARITY INDEX IS A MEASURE OF SEGREGATION BETWEEN GROUPS
OF PEOPLE, RANGING FROM 0, INDICATING COMPLETE INTEGRATION, TO
100 INDICATING COMPLETE SEGREGATION.

***** CRIME RATE IS THE NUMBER OF CRIMES PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.

Urban Environment

       TOP 10               MEDICAL        MASS TRANSIT
       CITIES                COST            MILES PER
                             INDEX            CAPITA

Atlanta, GA                  104.9             16.7
Washington, DC               109.4             24.4
Dallas, TX                   109.0             16.2
Nashville, TN                80.9               5.4
Houston, TX                 107.1              15.1
Charlotte, NC               102.6               3.9
Birmingham, AL               92.4               2.8
Memphis, TN                  88.0               8.0
Columbus, OH                 97.4               9.0
Baltimore, MD                97.5              17.2

B.E. Cities Average          98.9              11.9
National Average            100.0               8.0

       TOP 10               VIOLENT          PROPERTY
       CITIES                CRIME             CRIME
                             RATE              RATE
                             *****             *****

Atlanta, GA                  525.1            4,113.4
Washington, DC               505.5            3,541.6
Dallas, TX                   682.5            5,196.8
Nashville, TN                927.1            4,633.4
Houston, TX                  814.2            4,691.2
Charlotte, NC                801.9            5,323.0
Birmingham, AL               536.2            4,153.5
Memphis, TN                1,104.4            6,312.0
Columbus, OH                 509.3            5,724.2
Baltimore, MD                990.1            4,134.2

B.E. Cities Average          739.6            4,782.3
National Average             456.0            3,950.0

       TOP 10                HATE
       CITIES               CRIMES
                       (CENTRAL CITIES)

Atlanta, GA                  19.0
Washington, DC               11.0
Dallas, TX                   47.0
Nashville, TN                 6.0
Houston, TX                  66.0
Charlotte, NC                13.0
Birmingham, AL                N/A
Memphis, TN                  19.0
Columbus, OH                 71.0
Baltimore, MD                13.0

B.E. Cities Average          29.4
National Average              N/A

       TOP 10                                                BLACK
       CITIES                       CITY                  RESIDENTIAL
                                   MAYOR                SEGREGATION (%)
                                                              ****

Atlanta, GA             Shirley Franklin ([dagger])          64.5
Washington, DC          Anthony Williams ([dagger])          62.5
Dallas, TX                      Laura Miller                 58.7
Nashville, TN                   Bill Purcell                 66.0
Houston, TX                      Bill White                  66.3
Charlotte, NC                 Patrick McCrory                61.6
Birmingham, AL           Bernard Kincaid ([dagger])          75.9
Memphis, TN            Willie W. Herenton ([dagger])         69.9
Columbus, OH           Michael B. Coleman ([dagger])         61.6
Baltimore, MD                 Martin O'Malley                67.5

B.E. Cities Average     African American ([dagger])          65.5
National Average                                             64.5

       TOP 10                      BLACKS                     AVG.
       CITIES                      OWNING                   MINUTES
                                 HOMES (%)                 COMMUTING

Atlanta, GA                         55.3                      31.2
Washington, DC                      54.0                      32.8
Dallas, TX                          49.7                      27.9
Nashville, TN                       50.7                      25.8
Houston, TX                         51.8                      29.0
Charlotte, NC                       55.5                      26.1
Birmingham, AL                      58.3                      26.2
Memphis, TN                         57.0                      24.5
Columbus, OH                        47.2                      23.2
Baltimore, MD                       52.8                      29.8

B.E. Cities Average                 53.2                      27.7
National Average                    46.3                      22.6

* ALL DATA ARE FOR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS (MSA) UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED. MSA IS DEFINED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU AS A
CORE URBANIZED AREA AND ITS SURROUNDING URBANIZED COUNTIES WITH
A TOTAL POPULATION OF 100,000 OR MORE INHABITANTS.

** TOTAL COST OF LIVING AS AN INDEX AGAINST NATIONAL AVERAGE; NATIONAL
AVERAGE EQUALS 100.

*** REJECTION RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR CONVENTIONAL HOME LOANS.

**** DISSIMILARITY INDEX IS A MEASURE OF SEGREGATION BETWEEN GROUPS
OF PEOPLE, RANGING FROM 0, INDICATING COMPLETE INTEGRATION, TO
100 INDICATING COMPLETE SEGREGATION.

***** CRIME RATE IS THE NUMBER OF CRIMES PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.

Entrepreneurship Opportunities

                                                          1997
       TOP 10          BLACK-OWNED         1997           PAID
       CITIES           BUSINESSES        SALES        EMPLOYEES

Atlanta, GA               34,592       $2,296,093        27,430
Washington, DC            48,709        5,410,464        56,700
Dallas, TX                14,021        2,217,466        14,693
Nashville, TN              5,242          462,387         3,969
Houston, TX               24,286        1,845,644        25,246
Charlotte, NC              7,019          532,396         6,817
Birmingham, AL             5,045          224,222         3,234
Memphis, TN               10,931          704,873         8,622
Columbus, OH               4,955          802,156         1,477
Baltimore, MD             16,712        1,358,820        14,364

B.E. Cities Average       17,151        1,585,452        16,255
National Average           N/A             N/A             N/A

* ALL DATA ARE FOR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS (MSA) UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED. MSA IS DEFINED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU AS A
CORE URBANIZED AREA AND ITS SURROUNDING URBANIZED COUNTIES WITH
A TOTAL POPULATION OF 100,000 OR MORE INHABITANTS.

** TOTAL COST OF LIVING AS AN INDEX AGAINST NATIONAL AVERAGE; NATIONAL
AVERAGE EQUALS 100.

*** REJECTION RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR CONVENTIONAL HOME LOANS.

**** DISSIMILARITY INDEX IS A MEASURE OF SEGREGATION BETWEEN GROUPS
OF PEOPLE, RANGING FROM 0, INDICATING COMPLETE INTEGRATION, TO
100 INDICATING COMPLETE SEGREGATION.

***** CRIME RATE IS THE NUMBER OF CRIMES PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.

Career & Business

                    MEDIAN       MEDIAN      % BLACK       RECENT
TOP 10            HOUSEHOLD     HOUSEHOLD    HOUSEHOLDS     JOB %
CITIES              INCOME    INCOME--BLACKS     50K+     GROWTH (1YR)

Atlanta, GA       $59,423.00   $42,799.00       37.3         2.4
Washington, DC     72,781.00    51,076.00       45.7         1.2
Dallas, TX         59,153.00    39,093.00       30.6         0.8
Nashville, TN      55,379.00    33,630.00       26.9        -1.0
Houston, TX        55,692.00    35,562.00       29.1         2.9
Charlotte, NC      51,559.00    38,604.00       29.6         0.7
Birmingham, AL     45,047.00    28,215.00       21.9         2.6
Memphis, TN        46,253.00    31,417.00       24.3        -0.8
Columbus, OH       50,334.00    33,367.00       27.4         0.9
Baltimore, MD      55,987.00    37,549.00       32.2         0.5

B.E. Cities
  Average          55,160.80    37,131.20       30.5         1.0
National Average   42,409.00    29,939.00       27.5         0.9

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

Money & Finance

                  COST OF     AVG.               BLACK     BLACK/WHITE
      TOP 10      LIVING      HOUSE     AVG.   MORTGAGE     REJECTION
      CITIES       INDEX      PRICE     RENT  REJECTION %     RATIO
                    **                             ***

Atlanta, GA         96.6  $226,804.00   $751     21.51        2.85
Washington, DC     125.4   354,663.00  1,974     16.12        3.19
Dallas, TX          95.0   203,220.00    902     30.63        2.59
Nashville, TN       92.3   187,251.00    717     31.01        2.28
Houston, TX         91.8   178,851.00    749     28.93        2.54
Charlotte, NC       95.7   213,125.00    566     29.47        2.42
Birmingham, AL      94.0   204,083.00    623     28.69        2.24
Memphis, TN         89.2   183,095.00    638     27.53        2.63
Columbus, OH        95.8   252,665.00    663     24.99        2.50
Baltimore, MD      106.9   206,862.00    645     21.05        3.46

B.E. Cities
  Average           98.3   221,061.90    823     25.99        2.67
National Average   100.0   236,567.00    708     29.83        2.38

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

Employment Opportunities

                       FUTURE    UNEMPLOYMENT  UNEMPLOYMENT
     TOP 10          JOB GROWTH      RATE          RATE
     CITIES          (10 YR) %     TOTAL %        BLACK %

Atlanta, GA             23.2         4.8            9.2
Washington, DC          16.5         3.3            7.6
Dallas, TX              19.7         7.1            9.5
Nashville, TN           20.7         3.9            7.5
Houston, TX             17.8         6.9           10.5
Charlotte, NC           18.7         7.0            8.2
Birmingham, AL          16.7         4.5           10.8
Memphis, TN             19.2         5.7           11.3
Columbus, OH            15.3         4.5           13.4
Baltimore, MD           15.1         4.9            8.1

B.E. Cities Average     18.3         5.3            9.6
National Average        15.1         6.1           10.2

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

Public & Private Services

                  DOLLARS  PUPIL/     % HIGH     % COLLEGE  DOCTORS
TOP 10              PER    TEACHER    SCHOOL       GRADS-     PER
CITIES             PUPIL    RATIO   GRADS-BLACK    BLACK    10,000

Atlanta, GA       $5,795    16.2       80.1        21.9      223.8
Washington, DC     7,203    15.7       81.3        24.1      338.9
Dallas, TX         5,162    15.2       78.9        18.5      220.3
Nashville, TN      5,306    15.1       74.4        18.9      322.5
Houston, TX        5,210    16.8       77.5        18.4      244.9
Charlotte, NC      5,252    16.6       74.7        16.5      203.3
Birmingham, AL     5,135    16.1       74.2        14.6      364.7
Memphis, TN        4,874    14.2       69.6        12.1      273.7
Columbus, OH       6,272    17.6       78.1        15.4      294.1
Baltimore, MD      6,846    16.8       72.9        16.1      383.0

B.E. Cities
  Average          5,706    16.0       75.3        17.7      286.9
National Average   5,894    16.7       72.3        14.3      261.1

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

DATA SOURCES

Data for the tabulations in our survey were taken from the following sources: U.S. Bureau of the Census (www.census.gov); Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research; America's Top-Rated Cities: A Statistical Handbook (2003); Cities Ranked & Rated by B. Sperling and P. Sander (2004); U.S. Bureau of the Census' Economic Census (www.census.gov/prod/ec97/e97cs-3pdf); Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (www.acorn.org); U.S. Bureau of the Census' Housing Patterns: Racial Segregation in the United States; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports (www.fbi.gov); and World Climate (www.worldclimate.com).