Employment Review Magazine rated the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metro area, known as the Triangle, as America’s best place to live and work for the second year in a row. The list appears in the June 2003 issue of the magazine.

"This ranking shows that we are doing the right things to ensure long-term economic growth in North Carolina," said Governor Mike Easley. "Our challenge is to sustain the high quality of life standards that earned this ranking."

Reasons for the Triangle’s high rank include its quality of life, low crime rate, affordable housing, top-notch educational institutions, some of the world’s best healthcare facilities, a diverse industry base and an ideal family environment.

The publication specifically mentioned the Research Triangle Park (RTP) as one of the Triangle’s advantages. RTP’s location allows companies access to technology-transfer opportunities made possible by the park’s close relationships with three major research universities (Duke University, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University). It is also home to industry giants in several fields, including pharmaceuticals, computer software, telecommunications and biotechnology. The Triangle’s diverse industry also contributed to its first place ranking. Manufacturing accounts for 12 percent of the industry base, employing approximately 80,000 people. Information technology has played a major role in the Triangle’s development and success since the early 1960s. Today the Raleigh-Durham area is ranked 20th in the nation for its concentration of high-tech personnel. Healthcare is a third important industry, employing nearly one out of three Durham residents.

Employment Review publishes an annual list of top 20 picks for the best places to live and work to serve as a relocation guide for business professionals. It considers employment statistics, key employers and major industries to calculate its rankings. This year’s list can be found at www.employmentreview.com.

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