Ames has taken a spot on Money’s list of America’s best small cities, coming in at No. 53. It’s the only city in Iowa that made the list.

The “Best Places to Live” list is determined by looking at a city’s financials, housing market, education, quality of life, leisure and culture, weather, wealth and general demographics.

According to the numbers provided in the report, Ames has a family median income of $70,482 and family purchasing power of $59,980.

Ames reported 7.03 percent job growth between 2000 and 2007, which fell more than 10 percentage points behind the average job growth of other best places to live.

However, Ames boasted a 12-minute average commute time; the best places average was 23 minutes. Ames also reported 6.3 percent of its population commuting 45 minutes or longer; the best places average was 15.7 percent.

Furthermore, 16 percent of the population walks or bikes to work in Ames, which is much higher than the best places average of only 3 percent.

Plymouth, Minn., came in at No. 1 on the list.