Our list was compiled with the help of Bert Sperling, who created his Sperling Drought Index by combining a variety of data and indices from the National Climatic Data Center.

FORBES: Magazine Article

According to Bert Sperling, author of Cities Ranked and Rated, who provided the data, New Yorkers, for all of the convenience of the subway system, spend nearly 80 minutes commuting each day.

FORBES: The Best Cities For Working Mothers, 2012

The authors of the book, Bert Sperling and Peter Sander , collected the number of two- and four-year colleges and the number of universities with selective admissions from the National Center for Education Statistics and Princeton Review, respectively.

FORBES: A+ College Real Estate