Top 10 cities for African Americans 2007: our readers and editors select the best places in which to live, work, and play

Black Enterprise, May, 2007 by Carolyn M. Brown, David A. Padgett

"Jacksonville is very family-oriented," says John, a medical services company supervisor. The mother of two, Cy, 7, and Camryn, 2, loves the Sunshine State's pleasing temperatures and stresses that the city has an abundance of parks and beaches. "It is important to us as parents to expose our children to new and exciting things," adds Farmer, who works for Merrill Lynch's mutual and money fund services team. The couple is also partial to the school system.

Jointly bringing in $80,000 annually, the couple's earnings significantly exceed the city's median household income of $47,323. Black residents in Jacksonville enjoy having a place they own: nearly 50% are homeowners. Farmer recently moved his family into a three bedroom, two-bath home complete with a backyard and two-car garage. The couple paid $230,000 for their brand-new 2,000-square-foot development. This is somewhat higher than the average home in Jacksonville, valued at around $162,000.

Another notable feature is Jacksonville's flourishing downtown area, where there is no shortage of art galleries, museums, theaters, restaurants, and bars or clubs. "They're building high-rises and condos, really making it a place where people can live and work," says John. "We just like the laid-back feel of it."--Tennille M. Robinson

9

Columbus, OH

Bryan, Nichole, Thomas, and Anthony Redic

ENTREPRENEUR ANTHONY B. REDIC GIVES KUDOS TO Columbus, Ohio's Mayor Michael B. Coleman, who is African American and serving in his second term. "City contracts with minority- and women-owned businesses have increased since his first term in office," says the founder and CEO of BARTAR Consultants, a process efficiency consulting firm. Anthony and Nichole, his wife of 16 years, have witnessed the city's revitalization since relocating in 1997.

Both Washington, D.C., metro area natives, the Redics were living in Maryland's Prince George's County, where Anthony worked for Defense Finance and Accounting Services. When the government agency had openings in Ohio, the Redics chose Columbus and have never looked back "The city was in a building mode," he says. "It was good to be here and be a part of that growth."

There are no signs of a slowdown. Plans are underway to redevelop the land around Columbus Regional Airport to attract new businesses and create jobs. When Columbus debuted on BE's list in 2004, it had the highest black unemployment rate at 13.4%. Today, unemployment is down to 9%. Some 14% of the city's 1.7 million residents are black

The city has committed $25 million over five years to put vacant neighborhood homes back into productive use. The Redics, who are among the 40% of African Americans in Columbus who own their own home, paid $100,000 for their three-bedroom, bi-level with a huge backyard. This is the couple's first home, and they paid considerably less than the median home value of $155,600. With the money Anthony generates from the business and what Nichole earns as director of after-school programming at Little Blessings Learning Center, the couple's annual household income is $150,000.