Hoover is an affluent suburb south of Birmingham, AL.  The population is about 71,000 and the median household income is $81,000. The town has grown and prospered thanks to good planning and the Riverchase Galleria shopping complex.  Hoover also has a minor league baseball team. It is close enough to Birmingham for city type pleasures but far enough away to…...

When many affluent people think of Arizona, the first town that comes to mind is Scottsdale. The New York Times referred to it as the Miami South Beach of the west.  This fast-growing and well-to-do town was one of the first suburban outgrowths of Phoenix. Its setting in the desert  by the McDowell Mountains is spectacular. So is the infrastructure…...

Occoquan is a small village adjacent to Woodbridge in suburban Virginia. The affluent population of this artist community is about 900 people. The town has charming streets laid out in a grid on the Occoquan River (see photo above of marina). People like it for its walkable streets, charming shops, and restaurants. It is convenient to I-95 and the Potomac…...

Salem, located on the Willamette River in the northwest part of the state, is the capital of Oregon.  This growing city depends on state government and agriculture for economic support.  This city of over 175,000 always has something going on - a festival, museum show, or some entertainment from the several colleges hosted in Salem. It has a park system…...