Des Moines is the ninth-best city in the nation in which to live, work and play, according to the July issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

The editors considered the strength of the city’s economy, the abundance of jobs, reasonable living costs, the availability of recreation and other amenities in the community, along with other factors contributing to quality of life, including education.

In describing the city, Kiplinger’s wrote: “Des Moines’s friendly, hometown atmosphere, top public schooling and affordable cost of living make it an ideal place to raise a family.”

Kiplinger’s ranking was of the Des Moines metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which includes Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison and Guthrie counties.

Here’s the complete top 10 compiled by Kiplinger’s: 1. Houston; 2. Raleigh, N.C.; 3. Omaha; 4. Boise, Idaho; 5. Colorado Springs, Colo.; 6. Austin, Texas; 7. Fayetteville, Ark.; 8. Sacramento, Calif.; 9. Des Moines; and 10. Provo, Utah.

To read Kiplinger’s article, visit www.kiplinger.com.