At a time when many Midwestern towns - both small and large - are shrinking, Ann Arbor bucks the trend, and is growing. The town, affectionately referred to as "Tree Town," is now Home to more than 116,000 residents, a gain of more than two percent over 2010 numbers, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

That makes Ann Arbor the fifth largest city in Michigan, behind Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren and Sterling Heights. The new 2,000+ Ann Arbor residents bolster the town's population above that of the Michigan state capital, Lansing.

"CNN Money" magazine named Ann Arbor one of the top 100 places to live in the United States in 2012, citing both the nearness of Big 10 football (Ann Arbor is the home of the University of Michigan), and the town's many job opportunities.