If it was good enough for Abraham Lincoln… The home of the 16th president is also where Barack Obama started his political career. Springfield sits within 40 miles of Chicago, St. Louise, and Indianapolis, a draw for tourists with its rich history but also a model, forward-thinking city with a relatively new business incubator and the eco-friendly, 80-acre Southwind Park, which has wetlands, sensory gardens and a wind turbine and offers fishing, kite-flying and more while being fully accessible to all, notably people with physical and cognitive challenges. Sites like the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Dana-Thomas House-A Frank Lloyd Wright Design gave Springfield a #21 spot for Museums; Evenings at craft breweries and all-ages concerts lifted the city to a #15 ranking for Nightlife, something the city will need to reclaim after the pandemic. Combined, those features landed Springfield in our top 50 for Programming, at #47. As part of the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, intended the Springfield Rail Improvements Project is well underway. The $315-million project, with a 2025 completion date, will alleviate rail congestion in the downtown core, with the intention of boosting the state’s global status as a supply chain hub.