For years, lots of people have thought life is good in Plymouth - and now a lot more people are in on the secret. When Money magazine unveiled its annual Best Places to Live list on Monday, Plymouth was ranked number one among the top 100 cities.

Money annually ranks communities based on several factors, including financial data, housing, safety, quality of life and education. The magazine singled out Plymouth's topnotch schools, good jobs, housing, low crime rate and active outdoor culture.

According to the CNN Money web site, which posted the rankings this morning, "A sense of home, parks and award-winning schools help put this Minnesota city at the top of Money's Best Places to Live list...Plymouth could have become just another Twin Cities suburb, but much more than 50,000 jobs keep residents working there. Home prices are within reason...The city's main school district is ranked among the top three in the state, and for culture Plymouth's open air amphitheater, the Hilde Performance Center, hosts numerous summer concerts."

"Those of us living in Plymouth have always been proud of our community - our parks, schools and overall quality of life. This is one more thing that we can take pride in," said Mayor Kelli Slavik.

She added, "Plymouth has been fortunate to have a history of visionary leadership. As a community, we reap the benefits of that every day. And, Plymouth residents continue to be forward thinking. Time and time again, Plymouth residents have seen value in supporting initiatives to preserve open space, build parks and recreation facilities, add trails, promote public safety and fund education," she said.

Slavik also pointed to the City's long standing commitment to the arts. The City of Plymouth and Plymouth Civic League have joined together to bring the Minnesota Orchestra to Plymouth for 36 years. The orchestra performs at an annual outdoor concert, Music in Plymouth, which draws more than 10,000 people. The event originated as a way to build community identity.