re: Forbes names Fayetteville Best SEC city to live

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So Walmart is an indicator of business and career living location?

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Laugh it up, but Walmart really is a fairly high octane business organization. I got no dog in the hunt, but their logistics and marketing functions are world class.

Not saying it's my favorite place to shop (I don't want Longwhorn t-shirts), but they know their customers and sell a lot of stuff.

Fayetteville is in a pretty area, the crime is low, and it just seems like a nice place. Not surprised to see it rated highly. However, it is still far from perfect. The job situation there is VERY hit and miss there. Beyond Walmart and a few other, imopportunitirs are limited by size. My Mother in Law moved there in 2003 or 4 and took a great insurance job. When the economy tanked, all of those jobs dried up and she has barely been able to stay above water working in jobs she's over-qualified for since.

The other issue there (which may be a problem now) is that the housing market turned into a disaster after 08. For whatever reason, housing prices there were highly inflated above other similar growing areas in the south. My MIL lost over 1/3 of the value of her house overnight. She would love to move now, but can't because of all the money she would lose on the house.

It is also pretty remote. I always felt the same way about Tallahassee when I went the grad school at FSU. It's a nice town with a low crime rate. It and Gainesville were on every "Best Place to or for...." list that came out in the early 2000s. However, while it was big enough to have things to do, it is still just an overgrown small town/college town. You have to drive 2+ hours to get to any other civilization. It's 3 or so to Little Rock from Fayetteville. Tulsa isn't too far (blech). Anywhere else is a pretty good drive.

Again, it IS a really nice small to mid-size town. I just wouldn't risk moving there for a job. If you lost said job, you may not be able to find something else similar within driving distance.

Forbes lists suck, and something so vague and broad as 'Best places to live for business and career' doesn't make a lick of sense. What career? What industry?

You know where you should live? Where you're lucky enough to get a good job. Bonus points if it's nice and you like it.

The article completely whiffed the fact that Columbia, SC is #72 in the Forbes linked article. Just an FYI

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Walmart really is a fairly high octane business organization.

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Thank you Nr. Business Insider for this cutting-edge insight

Forbes is hardly more credible than a gossip rag nowadays, and that has nothing to do with its opinion on college towns.

Though Nashville is clearly the best in the SEC. Fayetteville can lay claim to 2nd, if it wants.

I would have guessed Nashville #1 among SEC. I have been to several parts of Arkansas and while nice, I guess I never thought of it as a great place to live. I am also surprised at BR being in the list. While it is certainly getting better, it is still a pretty bad place to live among major cities.

Not surprised at all in Tuscaloosa not being included. The city is overhyped simply because of the success of the football team. When I head north I take 20 to get to 59 toward Knoxville and Tuscaloosa is just a drive by. Knoxville is really nice though. We always stay the night there and do some stuff. (For the record, I really enjoy Mobile/Orange Beach/Gulfport in Alabama. That is some of the best coast in the gulf.) Haven't been to Auburn to know how they are.

I work in healthcare, which isn't insurance but also isn't Wal-Mary related at all, and the job market in my sector is absolutely cutthroat. Salaries are escalating rapidly and it is very hard to hire people.

I do call bullshite on the property value thing too. Values did tank around 2010-2011, but are back up above any historical level in most places around here. My home has appreciated almost as much as I paid for it just 5 years ago. I admit I got a pretty good deal for it, but our neighbors sold their house in under a week for 60% more than they paid for theirs and they paid far more than we did. They actually had two bidders and got MORE than their asking price...in under a week.

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Columbias, Starkville, Oxford, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, College Station, Athens tied for sads

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Can't speak for the others, but I'm not surprised about Athens. It is hands down the best town to attend college, but I wouldn't want to live there as a graduate. Incredibly poor for the most part, and Atlanta is an hour away with a million times the professional opportunities.

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And irrelevant football teams

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Sorry bout your poors brah