A second common thread for these cities was that they were often led by business leaders who were both entrepreneurial and civically minded. In these places if you become successful, it is expected that you will become active in town life. Third, these places tend to have strong vocational schools and community colleges, teaching modern workplace skills in partnership with local businesses. In many of the cities the local library serves as an all-purpose community center. Finally, the cities have strong civic stories and clear narratives about where they’ve been, where they are going and what makes them distinctive.

Source: New York Times May 14, 2018 23:48 UTC