Top Small Towns: West Linn and Lake Oswego

The smugness grows even as I write this. CNN Money Magazine ranked West Linn as the #64 in the top 100 US small cities to live in. Lake Oswego came up as #79. Lots of factors make the area loved by residents, including low crime and taxes, and high median incomes and home values. According to an article in the Oregonian, residents really love the quality of education their children receive, and the close knit neighborhoods. http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2009/08/affluent_west_linn_ranks_as_a.html

I'm all about community pride, but I cringe when I read things like this, because these communities already think they are the most awesome. Why doesn't CNN Money Magazine look into real quality of life issues, such as walk-ability, diversity, and how the residents rank themselves on a happiness scale? I think that fewer wealthy, gated, suburban towns would make the list and more rural, independent, and unique villages would.