TALE DIFFERS FOR TWO AREA 'DREAMTOWNS'

Although Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Mo., both ranked on the top of an online newsletter's listing of America's "dreamtowns," there are some aspects where the cities differ dramatically.

Cape Girardeau ranked 37th overall of the 632 cities surveyed while Jackson ranked 78th on the list.

Both were included among the 141 dreamtowns that earned overall scores higher than 80 on a 100-point scale.

The designation came from Demographics Daily, an online newsletter that rated quality of life in 632 small cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000.

The newsletter ranked cities in the categories of vitality, supply of good jobs, freedom from stress, connection to cultural mainstream, support for schools, access to health care, low cost of living and small-town character.

Cape Girardeau earned its highest marks in support for schools, low cost of living and access to health care.

Jackson's highest marks came in the areas of access to health care, connection to the cultural mainstream and vitality.

Despite differences among the two cities, "the important thing is that they both made this list and what we're saying is that both offer an excellent quality of life," said G. Scott Thomas, editor of Demographics Daily. "It's an elite listing."

The magazine based its judgments only on statistical information, not on visits to the communities, and that statistical information was based on rates per 10,000 residents which "essentially equalized the population," Thomas said.

Without such equal fields, larger cities would always win out, he said, adding: "Sometimes that makes the results surprising."

Site visits would only lead to more subjective designations. Statistics give every city "an equal shot," Thomas said.

Jackson, with about 11,000 residents, ranked 19th for its access to health care because statisticians counted Cape Girardeau's two hospitals as Jackson health care but has a smaller population.

Cape Girardeau, with about 37,000 residents, ranked 71st.

Information about health care access was based on countywide data obtained from the American Medical Association, Thomas said.

Low-cost of living, small-town character and support for schools also showed the greatest discrepancies in scoring. Cape Girardeau earned a rank of 87.73 for its support of schools; Jackson earned a score of 68.46.

The supply of good jobs and freedom from stress were nearly the same scoring marks, according to the newsletter.

More information about the dreamtowns listings for Midwest cities will be available Thursday at the magazine's Web site. Visitors to the site -- www.bizjournals.com/journals/demographics -- must register their names before seeing information. The site registration is free.