Among the places in America that have welcomed the most newcomers in 2008, three are home to major colleges and universities: Raleigh, N.C., Provo, Utah, (home to Brigham Young University, one of the country’s largest private colleges), and Austin, Texas, home to the University of Texas at Austin.

“If there are lots of newcomers, it’s easy to make friends; there’s a sense of vibrancy there,” says William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “Places that don’t have a lot of new migrants tend to be older and more stagnant. They’re also more close-knit.”

Intellectual centers like the above-mentioned college towns, however, reliably attract new residents because universities are large, relatively stable employers–and a steady flow of students keeps the population young.

“You have an educated population, and you have a large youthful population,” says Alexander von Hoffman, senior fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. “These places retain people after they’ve graduated, and attract like-minded people.”

Click here to view full story at Forbe’s.com…

Forbe’s list of America’s Best Bargain Cities based on average salary, annual unemployment statistics, the Housing Opportunity Index, and the cost of living:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Phoenix, Arizona
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Fort Worth, Texas
5. Cincinnati, Ohio
6. Indianapolis, Indiana
7. Columbus, Ohio
8. Dallas, Texas
9. Houston, Texas
10. San Antonio, Texas
11. Nashville, Tennessee
12. Denver, Colorado
13. Cambridge, Massachusetts
14. Kansas City, Missouri
15. Detroit, Michigan

Austin topped the list with high marks in all four indicators used by Forbe’s, and 4 other Texas cities joined Austin in this National top-15 list:  Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

Nearly a decade ago, after making a donation to a volunteer-run radio station in Austin, Texas, local librarian Red Wassenich was asked why he chose to support a broadcaster with a penchant for playing strange crooner music. “Because it keeps Austin weird,” he said.

Since then, the phrase “Keep Austin Weird” has become the city’s official rallying cry against the establishment of large chain stores near mom-and-pop shops–and, more generally, for maintaining the city’s eccentric feel. The city may be weird, but perhaps more redeeming is that it’s also a bargain to live there: Austin is the place where people pay the least to get the most.

“Austin has always been really different from the rest of Texas,” says Wassenich, 59.

Source: Forbe’s

It’s not just Austin that’s getting national attention, Texas is making the news as a strong state as well.  Texas ranked #3 of the Forbe’s “America’s 10 Fastest-Growing States”.  This growth helps keep the local economies strong in our big cities, including Austin.

Check it out!

Of course, if one looks at economic growth in the country’s largest 100 metros, the usual suspects jump to the top of the list. With an estimated 32% GMP growth from 2007-2012, Austin, Texas, is the winner for big metros. Atlanta, Seattle, Orlando, Houston and San Jose, Calif., also appear high on the list. What do they all have in common? They’re tech hubs with proximity to universities and a healthy increase in population. Austin’s population, for example, is expected to increase by nearly 15% by 2012, according to Moody’s Economy.com forecasts.

Once again, Austinites, you live in one of the top cities in the nation. Austin is a great place to live, work, make movies, listen to music, and buy real estate!