Houston is recognized here for its dynamic business environment, low unemployment and high wages relative to income. These factors make Houston the best city to earn a living by our calculations.

A record amount of money has been made off oil and commodities this year, and Houston is the American business hub of those industries. Throw in the weak dollar, which allows Houston-based materials companies to glean more cash off exports and increases the price of gasoline, and it's easy to understand why the city excels.

Now if it could only do something about the humidity and traffic.

Right behind Houston are Minneapolis, home to more of the nation's top companies per capita than any other city; Boston, fueled heavily by the biotech industry; and Washington, D.C., where unless the government goes out of business, consulting firms will continue to make a killing.

In other words, the more successful local companies and employed denizens, the brighter the future of a city. Even if you work in San Francisco and aren't in tech, or in New York and don't have a job on Wall Street, the health of those industries means a great deal to you.