The Mad City is also the "balance city," according to SmartAsset. They rated the top cities among the 100 largest in the country for "work/life balance." Criteria for the work side included commute times, the unemployment rate and labor force participation, home values, and average hours worked. For the "life" side, they explored things like bars and restaurants (you knew we'd do well there), entertainment establishments, and the like. The Midwest ended up with 5 of the top 10, but none ranked higher than Madison.
Here's what they said about #1:
"Our data shows that Madison has the best work-life balance in the country. Working opportunities are plentiful: The unemployment rate is only 2.2% and the city has a labor force participation rate of 86.5%. For those two metrics, Madison ranks first and second, respectively. Workers here also have plenty to do on their time off. About 2.1% of establishments in the Madison area are dedicated to arts, entertainment or recreation, a top 10 rate. There are also plenty of places to grab a beverage and hang out with colleagues as well. Madison has the eighth-highest concentration of bars in our study."
Although the Midwest scored well overall, Milwaukee didn't make the top 10, despite a higher concentration of bars. No other Wisconsin city did. There was also zip for Florida, California, and New York in the top 10. Check out the rest of the rankings, including other top 10 cities like Lubbock, Lincoln, Winston-Salem, Boise, and Columbus, here.
And really, with me (okay, us) playing the Greatest Hits, doesn't that help?? Now stay warm and stay balanced!