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Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Courtesy of the Town of Chapel Hill

The picturesque city of Chapel Hill is known for its college-town feel. The vibrant downtown sits adjacent to the leafy campus of the nation’s oldest public university, which dates back to 1793 (and sits at No. 58 on Money's most recent Best Colleges ranking).

The city is known for its racially diverse, well-educated population; with over three-quarters of the population holding a college degree or higher, the excellent education system is a big draw for families.

Both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care play major roles in the town and its economy. As part of the Research Triangle — along with nearby Raleigh and Durham — Chapel Hill is full of jobs in technology, healthcare, and other white-collar fields.

And the town offers one other benefit to workers: a super-short commute. The average here is 18 minutes, toward the low end of all the cities Money analyzed, and 17% of people get to work by walking or biking. — Sergei Klebnikov

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