Birmingham is a medical research, banking and service-based economy, making it one of the nation’s most livable cities with a vibrant downtown, a burgeoning loft community, a world-class culinary scene and more green space per capita than any other city in the nation.

Quick Facts:

• Population: 209,880* (city), 1.1 million (metropolitan)
• One of the most affordable cities for first-time home buyers in the nation (Lending Tree, 2019) and one of the 10 most affordable markets for renters (Zillow, 2019)
• No. 1 City Where a Dollar Stretches the Furthest (Forbes)
• One of America's new tech hotspots (MarketWatch and Barron's)

Along the banks of the Ohio River and tucked amid rolling hills that are home to its historic and eclectic neighborhoods, Cincinnati is a major Midwestern hub of commerce, art, family attractions and entertainment.

Quick Facts:

• Population: 302,605*
• One of the most affordable cities for first-time home buyers in the nation (Lending Tree, 2019) and one of the 10 most affordable markets for renters (Zillow, 2019)
• No. 6 City Where a Dollar Stretches the Furthest (Forbes)
• Ranked No. 13 out of the 150 largest Most Fun Cities in America (WalletHub, 2017)

St. Louis, located on the Mississippi River in east central Missouri, is one of America's top cities. St. Louis offers more free, major visitor attractions than any place outside of the nation's capital, including the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, Cahokia Mounds, St. Louis Science Center, Missouri History Museum, Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Grant's Farm.

Quick Facts:

• Population: 302,838*
• Accessible by plane from most major U.S. cities in three hours or less
• St. Louis Lambert International Airport averages 250 daily departures to 70 non-stop destinations
• One of the 10 most affordable markets for renters (Zillow, 2019)
• No. 4 City Where a Dollar Stretches the Furthest (Forbes)
• Home to three professional sports teams: St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and the St. Louis Rams