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Swee Ng
> Violent crime per 1,000 people: 2.86 (14th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 8.2% (6th lowest)
> Adult population graduated from high school: 91.5% (13th highest)
> Credit rating: Aaa (stable outlook)
> Population: 236,775
Chandler is one of the newest large cities in the U.S. The city was incorporated in 1951, but the population did not truly expand until very recently. In 1980, Chandler, which is located within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, had a population of 30,000. Now, it has a population of 247,000. There are countless examples of cities that experienced this level of growth, but few, especially in the Southwest, that maintained a healthy economy through the recession. And despite home values dropping precipitously in the city, like the rest of the Phoenix region, Chandler managed to maintain a healthy economy. In 2010, the city had the ninth-lowest unemployment rate among the largest cities, and the sixth-lowest poverty rate. Chandler has been assigned a perfect Aaa stable rating by Moody’s. The credit rating agency justified the rating: “The stable credit outlook reflects Moody’s expectation that management will continue to maintain favorable financial operations and strong reserve levels despite ongoing economic weakness.”
8. Scottsdale, Ariz.
> Violent crime per 1,000 people: 1.53 (6th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 7.9% (4th lowest)
> Adult population graduated from high school: 95.9% (the highest)
> Credit rating: Aaa (stable outlook)
> Population: 217,977
Like Chandler, Scottsdale is a prosperous suburb of Phoenix. It has the seventh-highest median income in the country, the highest percentage of high school graduates, and is among the top 10 for unemployment and health insurance coverage. However, because of its close proximity to Phoenix, home values dropped substantially during the recession. Nevertheless, the city has managed to maintain healthy employment and low poverty, as well as a stable Aaa rating — the best a city can receive. According to Mayor W. J. Lane, “Scottsdale has weathered the recession with our Aaa bond ratings intact because we cut where we need to cut and we invest where we need to invest.”
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