IRVINE, Calif. -- The city of Irvine ranked No. 4 on Money magazine's tally of "America's Best Places to Live," officials said Monday.

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Plymouth, Minn., topped the list, followed by Fort Collins, Colo., and Naperville, Ill. -- areas in America's heartland that reflect a low cost of living, rising incomes and job growth, said Brett LeVecchio of Money magazine.

In extolling Irvine's assets, the magazine cited the sentiment expressed by some families that Irvine is "pretty close to perfect."

However, a "big drawback" is cost of housing in Irvine, according to the magazine.

Cesi Pagano of Keller Williams Realty told the magazine that a three-bedroom, two-bath home can cost $700,000. By contrast, home costs in the other top cities averaged out at $291,949.

However, home prices in Irvine have held up better than those elsewhere in Orange County and foreclosures are not nearly as widespread.

The median family income per year in Irvine was $108,206, with the average income for the other cities $93,075.

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Irvine grew faster last year than all but 11 other American cities with populations of 100,000 or more.

The city gained 8,204 new residents from 2006 to 2007. As of July 2007, about 201,160 people lived in Irvine.

In June, Irvine -- for the fourth consecutive year -- was rated the safest U.S. city with a population above 100,000, according to FBI statistics.

LeVecchio said that Money was looking for America's best small cities for families exhibiting the "bedrock" requirements of good jobs, a healthy local economy, and a sane real-estate market.

The consultants started with all U.S. cities that have populations of 50,000 to 300,000, then excluded retirement communities, places where income is less than 85 percent or more than 201 percent of the state median, and those that are more than 95 percent white.

Screened out were cities with high crime, big population declines, significant unemployment or job shrinkage, and long commutes.

The remaining cities were ranked on job growth, income increases, cost of living, housing affordability, school quality, arts and leisure options, ease of daily life, safety, medical care, and diversity. Factored in was more data on the economy, jobs, housing prices, schools and taxes. Consultants then visited and interviewed residents, assessed intangibles like vibrancy and sense of community.