After taking over the title of state capital from Detroit in 1847, Lansing became an industrial hotspot, with auto manufacturing driving its growth. General Motors remains a major employer, but Lansing’s economy has diversified due to a surge in insurance, insurtech, medtech and IT businesses. Little wonder it ranked #3 overall in our Prosperity category, being tied for first among small cities for Fortune 500 Companies. Hundreds of new jobs are on the horizon, with 15 projects worth $311 million in private investment approved last year alone. With downtown’s revitalization in the works, the city in the center of the Great Lakes State is growing up. Yet it retains its small-town appeal, ranking #5 for Neighborhoods. Charming character homes surround the Capitol Building, and trails line the banks of the Red Cedar and Grand rivers. Leafy East Lansing is home to Michigan State University, which bolstered the city’s Product profile and tied it for #16 in our University ranking. MSU’s 5,300-acre campus features three medical schools (two human medicine, one veterinary)—the most in the country—and was the first to offer a graduate degree in nuclear physics.