A central California town that's an unlikely locale for an annual pizza festival, a northern Virginia town that hosted two bloody Civil War battles and the Kansas birthplace of Jesse James were among America's Top 100 Places to Live in 2002.

Online relocation portal Relocate-America.com has taken a "town vote" on more than 5,000 cities to come up with 100 of the best places to live in the nation.

The unscientific pool tabulates the choices of thousands of HomeRoute.com visitors who nominate communities based on:

• Safety, low crime rates, safe for children
• Activities, such as museums, theaters and sports
• Serenity, peace and quiet
• Beauty, such as a downtown with trees
• Great schools
• Economy of the town is healthy, with employment opportunities and affordable housing
• Great people and neighbors

Howell, MI-based Nationwide Homes Network, Inc. is the parent company of HomeRoute.com, the umbrella company for Relocate-America.com and Relocate-Canada.com online community directories of hundreds of towns in North America and Homes101.net, a real estate education Web site for consumers.

After a town vote lasting all year, 100 communities are selected for the top 100 list by Relocate-America.com staff who use three criteria:

• Is the community represented on our site?
• Are local residents getting involved with input and town support?
• Does the information submitted make us want to live there?

Not ranked in any order because every community is considered a winner in its own right, the Top 2002 list includes:

• Centreville, MD, for its rural charm in a modern city so crime free cops don't lock their doors.

• Bellingham, WA, as a walkable town with a temperate climate and a bay view, mountains and rivers.

• New Haven, CT, as an affordable New England town steeped in culture, museums, restaurants and outdoor activities.

• Houston, TX, the proud home of the Texans.

• Hanover, PA, for its beautiful farmland and low crime rate.

• Cameron Park, CA, a centrally located city near employment opportunities in Sacramento and Folsom and fun at Lake Tahoe, Napa and San Francisco.

• Parma Heights, OH, an urban community untouched by typical big city problems, offers excellent schools, friendly retail centers and a town for families.

• North Las Vegas, NV, as host of the Aliante retirement community by Del Webb near the casino strip and offering lots of clean air and open spaces.

The full list, with a description of each town, is available at Relocate-America.com's Top 100 Places to Live.

Published: April 23, 2003

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A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.