Top 10 Cities with the Best Economies for Families

In spite of ominous reports about the unemployment rate in this country, nearly every city will see some level of job gains in 2012, according to the US Conference of Mayors.  Additionally, the housing market is finally improving with the Midwest and southern states leading the way, according to BMO Economics.  These 10 cities are leading the way in economic growth and sustainability.

1. Austin, Texas

The secret is out--Austin is a great place to live and work. People are buying houses in Austin, one of a few cities on our list that has seen growth in the housing market over the last five years. Couple that with low unemployment (more than 2 percentage points below the national average) and it's no wonder it scored high on the Milken index measuring job creation and sustainability. According to the Austin Business Journal, the city saw 13,200 jobs added in 2011.  Austin also scored fourth place overall on our Best Cities list.