Recently named one of the 100 Best Places to Live by Money magazine, Bryant blends the progressiveness of one of the fastest-growing areas in the state with the charm of small-town living.

Roughly 15,000 people make homes in the city, just six miles south of the Little Rock city limit. That nearness to the capitol makes Bryant a bedroom community of sorts, but plenty of other reasons account for its 50 percent growth rate since the last census.

Bryant's school district recently received an "A" from the Arkansas Policy Foundation, a private group that made grades based heavily on students' performance on standardized test scores. As added bonuses, the district includes two new "green" schools, and sports teams at the high school boast a tradition of success.

Families also enjoy the 250 acres of 10 city parks. Opening soon, the 106-acre Bishop Park will include a 70,000-square-foot public community center complete with fitness facilities of all types and sporting venues. Leaders hope the park will draw state tournaments, thereby boosting economic development.

Bryant residents have a less frustrating commute to and from Little Rock than their suburban counterparts thanks to Interstate 30, the only three-lane roadway linking Little Rock to an outlying area.

Brand new residential development is also underway. Built by the same developers of the innovative and famous Florida resort community, Seaside, Midtown Bryant will bring together socio-economic cultures in a planned community with necessities and amenities within walking distance.