What does it take for a city to make the “best places to live” list? Money Magazine factored in job opportunities, great schools, housing, low crime rates, and quality health care among its criteria for this year’s list of best small places to live in the U.S.

The top 10 places making its 2012 list are (along with the average housing list prices from July 2012):

1. Carmel, Ind. Average list price: $304,340

2. McKinney, Texas Average list price: $245,917

3. Eden Prairie, Minn. Average list price: $413,566

4. Newton, Mass. Average list price: $850,117

5. Redmond, Wash. Average list price: $518,982

6. Irvine, Calif. Average list price: $904,753

7. Reston, Va. Average list price: $467,934

8. Columbia/Ellicott City, Md. Average list price: $406,943

9. Overland Park, Kan. Average list price: $278,204

10. Chapel Hill, N.C. Average list price: $376,660

Learn more about what makes these cities so great and see the full list of Top 100 “best places to live” at CNNMoney.

Source: “Best Places to Live,” CNNMoney (2012)