We're Number 7!

Connecticut magazine ranked Madison seventh in its annual Best Places to Live edition, released Tuesday.

The magazine said a variety of factors went into the decision:

"The top finishers in this population group enjoy the best educational test results in Connecticut, the most robust local economies, the greatest number of cultural and social amenities per capita, and most likely a wonderful feeling of security. The top 10 finishers, from Ridgefield through East Lyme, have a combined population of just under 200,000 and a minuscule average crime rate of 1.9 crimes a year per 1,000 residents. Of course, if you check out the median house price, you’ll see that they pay dearly for all that."

Ranking above Madison were, in order, Ridgefield, New Canaan, Avon, Wilton, Darien, and Simsbury. Guilford, next door, ranked 11th this year. There were 32 towns in the group.

According to the article, here are the criteria used:

• EDUCATION: This category combines five elements: the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Mastery Test results for 4th, 6th and 7th grades; results of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT); local SAT scores for 2008, 2009 and 2010, and the percentage of 2010 public high school graduates who went on to two- or four-year colleges. Test scores are weighted more heavily.

• ECONOMY: The strength of the local economy was determined by the 2011 Public Investment Community score, compiled by the Office of Policy and Management, which rates all Connecticut towns under a formula based on population, per capita income, the adjusted equalized grand list per capita, the unemployment rate, the equalized mill rate and per capita aid to children.

• COST OF LIVING: This category weighs most heavily the median price of a single-family house purchased in the first six months of 2011, a figure that predicts many other local expenses. The sales figures are provided by The Warren Group.

• CRIME: This category is based on major crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor-vehicle theft) committed in 2007, 2008 and 2009 per 1,000 population, the most recent figures available from the state Department of Public Safety.

• LEISURE/CULTURE: Includes local library expenditures per capita in 2010, the number of theaters, museums, festivals, concert venues, historic sites, colleges and universities, golf courses, local newspapers, radio stations, state parks and forests, voter turnout in the 2008 election and good local restaurants.

What do you think? Do you agree with that ranking? What do those towns have that we don't have (besides better numbers)?! Or do you think the ranking is too high? Let us know in our poll and in the comments.