Moving Places A list of resources for people who are considering moving to another part of the country. Comparative Sources Consult these to compare cities across the country and view several different city rankings. Ref 307.76 AME America’s Top Rated Cities4 volumes2006 Includes background and statistical information on 100 U.S. cities that have populations of at least 100,000. Ref 307.76 AME America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities: A Statistical Handbook2 volumes2006–2007 Provides information on 110 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 99,999. Each entry includes background information, the city’s ranking in a variety of categories, and business and living statistics. Ref 307.76 COM The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs, 2005 Compares suburbs of the 50 largest metropolitan areas. Each metro section has individual community profiles and concludes with rankings in areas such as income and crime. Ref 307.76 MOV Moving & Relocation Directory2007–2008 Lists information for 121 popular relocation destinations in the U.S. Both metropolitan areas and smaller cities are included. Each entry contains information on local govern-ment, surrounding communities, major employers, media, shopping, and much more. 306.0973 SHA 50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family by Kathleen Shaputis2006 Offers descriptions and a section on “possible drawbacks” for each location. 307.76 SPE Best Places to Raise Your Family: The Top 100 Affordable Communities in the U.S. by Bert Sperling2006 Provides facts and figures for the 100 rated locations, including the pros and cons of living in each community. This work also offers a list of the “Best of the Best” cities and ranks the best places for standard of living, education, lifestyle, and health and safety. 307.76 SPEAlso in Reference Cities Ranked & Rated: More Than 400 Metropolitan Areas Evaluated in the U.S. and Canada by Bert Sperling2004 Compares and contrasts cities in ten categories, including economy and jobs, cost of living, and health and health care. 648.9 ROM Insiders’ Guide to Relocation by Beverly D. Roman2004 Provides advice on relocating to a new community and offers tips on researching new areas. The last chapters provide snapshots of popular relocation destinations across the U.S. Information about Specific Places Try these resources when you have a particular location in mind. The library may also have guidebooks about your new home. Use SWAN, the online catalog, to search for books on individual cities or states. Ref 307.76 PRO Profiles of America: Facts, Figures & Statistics for Every Populated Place in the United StatesVolume 3: Central Region2003 Contains profiles of all counties and communities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Ref 317.3 COM Community Sourcebook of ZIP Code Demographics2006 Provides statistics on demographics, income, and more arranged by ZIP code. Ref 317.3 COU County and City Extra2006 Contains maps and tables of statistical information for all U.S. states, counties, metropolitan areas, and cities of 25,000 or more. Includes basic population data from the 2000 census, as well as information on housing, income, and education. Ref 381.1 EDI Editor & Publisher Market Guide2007 Provides brief market and demographic information for over 1,600 U.S. and Canadian cities. This publication offers facts and figures that could be of use to those seeking information on smaller cities. Topics include transportation, principal industries, shopping centers, restaurants, and colleges and universities. Ref 381.1 LIF The Lifestyle Market Analyst2006 Combines both population data and lifestyle information for over 200 cities and metropoli-tan areas. Though geared toward marketers, Section I provides interesting insight into the fitness, home life, hobbies, and leisure activities of residents in a particular location. Additional Sources of Information Ref 027.25 AME American Library Directory2 volumes2006–2007 Provides the names and contact information for libraries in the United States and Canada. A visit to the local library when you are house hunting may yield helpful information. Ref 060 WOR World Chamber of Commerce Directory2006 Provides the contact information for local chambers of commerce and convention and visitors bureaus in the United States and abroad. These organizations may offer a great deal of information about their respective communities. Ref 370.58 PAT Patterson’s American Education2006 Contains the names, addresses, phone numbers, and principals’ names for public and private secondary schools in the U.S. Ref 370.58 PAT Patterson’s Elementary Education2006 Contains the names, addresses, phone numbers, and principals’ names for public and private elementary schools in the U.S. *Ref 070 BAC Bacon’s Newspaper Directory2007 Arranged geographically, this guide provides a list of the newspapers in a community. Subscribing to a newspaper in advance of the move will yield information on town events, real estate, and local concerns. This volume is part of a set that also offers listings of radio, television, and cable stations in a particular location. Magazine and Newspaper Databases Magazine and newspaper articles may be accessed using the periodicals databases. These are available for use in-library or from home by starting at the library’s webpage, www.downersgrovelibrary.org, and selecting Databases and Websites. Try searching by city name or enter more general terms, such as “best places to live.” FirstSearch Articles from general magazines and academic journals. Infotrac (General Reference Center Gold) Articles in a variety of magazines and journals. Chicago Tribune Full text articles from 1985 to the present. New York Times Full text articles from 1980 to the present. Useful Websites The Internet also has valuable information on moving and relocation. Most cities have websites, and you may be able to find local newspapers online. Try looking at the sites of realtors, visitors bureaus, or chambers of commerce for your future home, as well. Here are some additional websites you may find useful: American FactFinder Get a fact sheet on any community to learn more about that population’s characteristics. Information comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. Best Places to Live Learn more about Money Magazine’s choices for the best places to live in the U.S. A num-ber of other rankings are available, as well as a listing of the top cities within each state. CityRating.com Offers city guides, school rankings, and statistics for a select number of U.S. cities. Move Includes tips on planning a move, information on communities and schools, and a salary calculator to compare costs of living between locations. SchoolMatters Find information about individual public schools or compare different schools. The website includes tables, graphs, and data on school performance, safety, and staffing. Prepared by Abbey Holt, March 2007