Portland, Maine National Recognition and Awards Portland Maine has been recognized nationally by many organizations. The city and local area is considered by many to be an excellent place to live, raise a family and conduct business. They city combines many elements of big city life and a rural, beautiful setting along Casco Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. National Recognition of Portland, Maine Portland named among the top twelve surprising, thriving and emerging world travel destinations for 2007 by Frommer’s Travel Guides and Frommers.com. Portland ranked #2 in Self Magazine’s 2006 Healthiest Cities for Women. Portland ranked 320 in Inc. Magazine’s 2006 Boom Town List of Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs. Portland named among the top 50 “Best Places for Business and Careers in the U.S.” These rankings combine nine factors, including cost of doing business, job growth, income growth, educational attainment and crime rates. (Forbes Magazine, May 2006) Maine named as the second-safest and fourth-healthiest state in the Nation. (Morgan Quitno Press, 2006) Portland named as one of the top 100 “Best Performing Cities” in the Nation. (Milken Institute, 2006) Portland ranked #7 on the 2005 list of the 100 Best Art Towns in America. Portland named #15 in medium sized Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business. In the overall category of small, medium and large cities combined, out of 25,000 cities examined, Portland ranked #32. (Inc. Magazine, May 2005) Portland named #1 Top Market in Small Business Vitality. The study suggests Portland to be the strongest small business sector of any large metropolitan area in the United States and ranked it as the hottest small business market in which to develop a company. (America City Business Journals, January 2005) Portland named #14 in “Best Performing Cities” index, for its economic vitality based on measures that include employment and salary growth, with an emphasis on high-tech industries. (Milken Institute, California, November 2004) Portland named “One of the 10 Great Adventure Towns”. (National Geographic Adventure Magazine, August 2004) Portland named #23 in the Top 25 Cities for Doing Business in America. (Inc. Magazine, March 2004) Portland named #6 as one of the ten safest, culturally most fascinating U.S. Cities. (Travel Smart Consumer Newsletter, January 2004) Portland named Bike Town U.S.A. (Bike Town Magazine, January 2004) Portland is ranked 4th among the 10 “Perfect Places to Live in America”. (Fine Living Cable Network 2003) Portland is rated “One of the 50 Cities that Sizzle”. (National Restaurant Association, 2001)