Charlotte County ranked 2nd out of 300
as best place to live in U.S.

By John Hackworth
Sun Herald City Editor

Money magazine has ranked Punta Gorda -- actually the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Charlotte County -- as the second best place in the U.S. to live.

Only Madison, Wis., beat out Charlotte County among the 300 areas listed in the magazine's 10th annual list.

The news not only delighted county officials and chamber members but also created a swarm of nationwide curiosity about this tiny county in Southwest Florida.

''You couldn't have made a better day for me,'' said Punta Gorda Mayor Lindsay Harrington when he heard the news. ''I have to go out and buy a dozen magazines.''

Pat Gorman, a retired Washington, D.C. lawyer and the official greeter for both the Charlotte County chamber and the Punta Gorda Business Alliance, said he was not surprised at the ranking.

''I've been here 18 years, and I agree with everything in the article,'' he said. ''My business partner and I discovered this place after driving from Clearwater to Marco Island, trying to decide where to retire. I just think this is terrific news.''

Charlotte County climbed from 61st on the list in 1995 to No. 2 this year, based on improvements in education, housing and leisure activities.

Ira Hellman, a spokesman for Money magazine, said data is collected on each city in categories that include: economy, healthcare, crime rate, housing, transit, weather, arts and education. Each area is ranked according to national percentile.

Charlotte County led the nation with a 100 percentile in economy -- mostly thanks to a projected job growth of 16.3 percent between now and 1999. Charlotte County also ranked high in weather -- no surprise there -- education and crime.

Madison, Wis., a state capital and college town, couldn't match Charlotte's weather. But the No. 1 designated place to live scored much higher in healthcare -- 99 percentile compared to Charlotte County's 23 -- and transit -- 85 percentile compared to Charlotte's 28.

Charlotte County was among five Florida cities in the top 10 and 10 in the top 20. They include: Fort Lauderdale, No. 4; Fort Myers/Cape Coral, No. 6; Gainesville, No. 7; Lakeland, No. 10; Tampa/St. Petersburg, No. 11; Naples, No. 15; Orlando, No. 12; Fort Walton Beach, No. 18 and Jacksonville, No. 20.

Charlotte County's ranking was a surprise to some, especially those concerned with the sudden slow growth rate and the lack of new jobs.

''I don't put a lot of stock in it,'' said Bucky McQueen, a local developer. The average price of a home here is about $73,000, McQueen noted, but the magazine said a typical three-bedroom costs $165,000.

''And according to figures circulated last week at the Charlotte County Assembly meeting,'' he said, ''we only have about a 1-percent growth rate right now.''

''Don't get me wrong,'' said McQueen, a native of the area. ''This is an enjoyable place to live, but more people would move here if they could find jobs. Anyone who moves here now better bring a source of income with them.''

Punta Gorda Police Chief Dan Libby, who moved here a month ago from Plymouth, N.H., said he can agree with the ranking.

''I've looked at a lot of communities the last couple of years, and I'd say this ranking is valid. We're right up there.''

Money magazine reporter Sheryl Nance-Nash visited Charlotte County for a day to get a feel for the community and to verify some statistics used in the study.

''Essentially she checked things out with the data we collected,'' Hellman said. ''She found that commuting was a problem and that the average cost of a three-bedroom home was well above the national average of $110,000.

''Also, a concern was that building permits were down 29 percent the past year, compared with the national average that showed an 18-percent decrease.''

But, most everything else, according to the magazine, was positive.

The article pointed out that violent crime is 59 percent below the national average; it's sunny two out of every three days; the cost of living is 5 percent below the national average; there are 11 churches for every nightclub, and no one seems to be in a hurry.

The magazine article quoted Jerry and Patricia Hayes, two former New York City residents who live in Charlotte County now.

Patricia told the magazine: ''My friends from New York are overwhelmed by the beauty of the water and the people here. Some of them have started to house hunt.''