Forbes.com's search for the best places for business and careers spanned 200 communities, ranging in size from the New York metropolitan area, home to 11.7 million people, to the Merced, Calif., area, with a population of 245,000.

Each community was ranked according to 12 metrics, including costs (business and living), job growth (past and projected), income growth, educational attainment and projected economic growth.

Quality-of-life issues, including crime rates, cultural and recreational opportunities, migration patterns, were also given weight, as were such factors as the number of highly ranked four-year colleges in the community and the percentage of subprime mortgages handed out over three years.

Here's a closer look at the 10 communities topping this year's list:

Next: Des Moines, Iowa

Metro-area population: 471,000

Rankings

Projected economic growth: 139th

Projected job growth: 83rd

Educational attainment: 30th

Income growth: 110th

Net inbound migration: 59th

• Bing: Learn more about Lexington

Next: Austin, Texas

Metro-area population: 1.71 million

Rankings

Projected economic growth: second

Projected job growth: second

Educational attainment: 19th

Income growth: 100th

Net inbound migration: sixth

• Bing: Learn more about Austin
• See the full list of 200 communities on Forbes.com

Next: What do you think?