The Best Places to Live Where the Seasons Change

When it comes to places to live, safety, good schools, abundant employment opportunities, natural beauty and interesting culture are some of the most important factors. For those who love both snowy trees and clear blue lakes, hot chocolate and iced tea, mittens and swimsuits, distinct seasons are important when choosing a city to call home.

According to Money Magazine, Eden Prairie, Minnesota is the best place to live, period. With a Fortune 500 trucking company and the Minnesota Vikings headquarters, this town has unemployment rates four percentage points below the national average. As far as recreational activities, the town has parks with 125 miles of hiking and biking trails and 17 lakes for swimming in summer and ice skating in winter. Eden Prairie also boasts one of the healthiest populations in the country, excellent public schools and a low crime rate.

Situated between two lakes, Madison has a small-town feel with a bustling downtown area that offers a variety of shopping, restaurants and coffee shops. Madison also has a vibrant arts community with a world-class museum and venues that host local and touring bands. Much of the town's economy centers around the University of Wisconsin, and its public schools are also among the best in the country. Madison also has seasonal community events, including a brat festival in the summer and Kites on Ice, a skating kite parade in winter. For nature lovers, Madison has bike trails, an arboretum and many parks. Add the fact that Madison is family-friendly and gay-friendly, and this town has it all.

Like Madison, Ann Arbor has the simultaneous feel of a small town and a big city. Ann Arbor is sometimes thought of as a football town or a college town, but museums, galleries, theaters and concert halls are also prevalent throughout the city. The University of Michigan is at the town's center, but Domino's Pizza and Borders Books also have headquarters here and are responsible for much of the town's employment. If it sounds exciting to be surrounded by many of the country's prominent researchers and intellectuals while having arts and culture at your fingertips, Ann Arbor may be for you.

Ames has a well-deserved reputation as one of the friendliest towns in the country. Ames offers plentiful employment in the biotechnology and agriculture fields and with 36 parks, a hopping downtown and an aquatic center, Ames also offers a lot for residents to do in their free time.

Naperville is, in many ways, the Mecca of U.S. suburbia. With some of the country's best schools and libraries, Naperville is family-friendly. The town is also a short train commute to Chicago, such that it's easy to work downtown or spend a night at the theater.

Located at the foothills of the Cascade mountains, Bend is an ideal town for lovers of outdoor sports and natural beauty. While Bend has a milder season change than Midwest or east coast cities, its winters are great for skiing and snowboarding and its summers are perfect for rock climbing in some of the world's most beautiful mountains. Aside from the beautiful landscape, Bend has a small downtown area with frequent live music and art shows.