At the helm is Mayor David Nichols. Formerly CEO of a publicly traded manufacturing company, he has helped bring several new employers to town -- where they join an already impressive list of firms like Procter & Gamble and Mitsubishi.

These jobs, plus proximity to Cincinnati and Dayton, attract a diverse workforce, and the schools are among Ohio's best.

The shopping, on the other hand. is less varied. While Mason does have a few non-chain restaurants and shops in town, big-box stores are the norm. --I.S.M.