You already know Bethlehem is particularly beautiful in the fall, and its holiday traditions aren’t to be missed. But Bethlehem isn’t a place for only fleeting moments under falling leaves or a magical winter weekend—it’s an ideal place to put down roots, make a difference, and find your passion. Think we’re a little biased? The folks at 24/7 Wall Street are with us on this—which is why they named Bethlehem #9 on the list of America’s 50 Best Cities to Live.

The team at 24/7 Wall St., a financial news and opinion company whose content is syndicated on sties like MSN Money, Time.com and the Huffington Post, reviewed data on 550 cities in the United States with populations greater than 65,000. They compared data points like employment growth, housing costs, crime rates, number of restaurants and attractions and access to education (ehem) to determine the sweetest spots in the country to call home.

This criteria left big cities like New York, Philadelphia and Houston off the list, making way for charming smaller cities in close proximity to larger cities. In other words, you can get the best of both worlds.

And in Bethlehem, that’s true. The Christmas City experienced a greater than 15% increase in population over the last 10 years—crushing the national growth rate of 10.6%. Enriching education institutions (like this one, of course!) keeps housing and recreation affordable. Speaking of recreation, 24/7 Wall Street didn’t miss the many shops, restaurants, museums and other activities that make Bethlehem a paradise for active families and young people.

Check out the full entry to learn more about why Bethlehem is number one in our hearts.