2010 Rankings

• Des Moines placed No. 35 out of the 200 largest metro areas in the United States in national brainpower rankings (December 23, compiled by Portfolio.com and American City Business Journals Inc.)
• Des Moines fourth in ranking of best business cities (December 20, Marketwatch)
• Des Moines ranks in the top 10 best cities for doing business for the second year in a row (December 20, Market Watch).
• Des Moines metro economy again rated in top tier (December 16, desmoinesregister.com)
• Des Moines among the top 10 American cities best situated for recovery (November 8, newsweek.com)
• Des Moines/West Des Moines rank #6 best cities to move to in America (October 27, Bestplaces.net)
• Iowa ranks 3rd as best run state in the country (October 4, 24/7 Wall St.)
• Des Moines is #14 among most attractive metros (Aug/Sept, Area Development)
• Iowa ranks 5th best state for retirement in 2010 (MoneyRates.com)
• Iowa ranks 6th in survey of healthiest states for kids (July 27, Annie E. Casey Foundation)
• Iowa ranks 6th in the top ten for Top States for Business in 2010 (CNBC Special Report)
• Des Moines is No. 2 on the economic performance list (June, Brookings Institution)
• Des Moines receives its fifth All-America City award (June, National Civic League)
• Iowa ranks 2nd in most volunteered hours in the nation. Des Moines is the 6th most volunteered city in Iowa (June 16, Corporation for National and Community Service)
• Des Moines is #1 place to raise a family (June, Forbes)
• The #7 pick in Kiplinger's Best Cities 2010 is fertile ground for new jobs (July, Kiplinger)
• Des Moines is rated the #1 place for business and careers by Forbes after ranking 7th last year (April 13, Forbes)
• Des Moines-West Des Moines Metro Area in Top 25 U.S. Cities with the Most Energy Efficient Buildings (March 23, EPA)
• Iowa ranks 5th happiest state (February 16, Yahoo)
• Iowa ranks as a top 10 state for wellness (February 15, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index)
• Des Moines #26 on list of happiest, healthiest people (February, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index)
• Oprah included Iowa on her list of “100 Things That are Getting Better.” Iowa was the only state to make the list. (January 27)
• Des Moines: John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park listed as one of the 45 Best New Midwest Spots to Play, Eat & Stay (January, Midwest Living)
• Civic Center of Greater Des Moines ranks 17th in ticket sales in the Jan. 11, 2010 edition of Pollstar magazine’s annual list of the top 100 worldwide theater venues - ahead of other Midwestern venues including St. Louis’ Fabulous Fox Theatre (#23), Chicago’s Chicago Theatre (#28) and Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre (#38)! (January)