3 small towns rated high

A handful of small towns in Nebraska and Iowa were named among this year's 100 "best" in the country, according to CNN/Money magazine.

Papillion ranked fifth in the small-town category of the magazine's list of 100 "Best Places to Live." Columbus placed 84th and was the only other Nebraska town to make the 2011 list.

Iowa snagged five spots, with Johnston at No. 13, followed by Urbandale at 72, North Liberty at 74, Ankeny at 86 and Bettendorf at 95.

The list, which is published every other year, considers towns with a population between 8,500 and 50,000. Towns are selected on a number of factors, including home prices, job growth, weather, crime and attractions.

It's not the first time that Papillion, Omaha's next-door neighbor, has ranked high on the list.

The nearly 19,000-population community broke into the Top 5 in 2009 when it was named the nation's third-best small town. It ranked sixth in 2007 and No. 23 in 2005.

"Our community has now been rated among the very best places to live for the better part of a decade," said Mayor David Black. "That consistency is remarkable and further proof that Papillion really is a special place."

CNN/Money called Papillion enviable because of its high employment and housing-market strength, as well as its close ties to agriculture. The magazine also noted the recent move of the Black Hills Corp. headquarters to Papillion, bringing along 130 jobs.

The top-15 ranking for Johnston, Iowa, means a lot for the 15,000-population, agriculture-based town less than 15 miles from Des Moines.

Johnston includes headquarters for Pioneer Hi-Bred and Iowa Public Television. The community also takes pride in the Camp Dodge military base, said city councilman Gerd Clabaugh.

"We're just large enough to really provide some great opportunities for our residents in terms of parks and activities and schools," Clabaugh said. "But we're small enough that we all know each other."

Columbus Mayor Mike Moser said he was excited to see his community back on the list at No. 84. It was ranked 99 two years ago.

CNN/Money said the 21,000-population town of Columbus is desirable, in part, because of its growing medical industry. The town's major employers include global medical technology company Becton Dickinson and Co., steel fabricator Behlen Manufacturing Co. as well as the headquarters of the Nebraska Public Power District, Moser said.

Columbus is different from other Nebraska and Iowa towns on the list because it isn't near a larger metropolitan area. Columbus is about a 90-minute road trip from both Lincoln and Omaha.

"We had some population growth in the last few years, even though we're not off the expressway system and Interstate system. A lot of areas like us are not growing," Moser said.

"Generally, the people here are positive and working, just trying to make our town better for their families."

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