Listless? Not in Virginia Beach

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Hixenbaugh covers city government for The Virginian-Pilot. This piece was one of his "Above Board" columns published in the Beacon section of The Pilot.

Virginia Beach has been named “America’s Most Listed City.”

The honor was awarded by me in an email to a coworker last week. Factors considered included several Google searches. The lead researcher (still me) found the Beach has been included in at least 70 “best of” lists in recent years and assumed that must be good enough for No. 1.

The certificate is in the mail.

More and more, online news sites are releasing lists that rank U.S. cities based on criteria ranging from “Best Places to Find a Date” to “Top 10 Cities for Christmas Lights.”

Critics of such lists say they are drummed up to boost Internet traffic, rely on selective data, fail to consider intangible characteristics and are notoriously fickle.

In 2009, U.S. News and World Report named Virginia Beach one of “America’s 10 Best Places to Grow Up.” Two years later, The Daily Beast online news site ranked the city at No.?3 on its list of the nation’s “Worst Cities to be Young.”

Blame the recession.

Nevertheless, some people like the lists, and the Beach certainly has fared well recently.

An online financial site known for producing numerous “best of” lists named Virginia Beach “America’s Best Run City.” City Council members celebrated the honor last week, and as they gushed, a city release popped into my inbox: “Virginia Beach Ranked No. 2 City in America for Raising a Family.”

Did you hear that, children? We’ve still got it!

In honor of the winning streak, I present Virginia Beach’s Top Five Top 10 Listings of all time.

5. Top 10 U.S. Boardwalks, National Geographic, 2011 / Ranking: 9 / Factors: The writer liked the nautical sculptures. (Go King Neptune.)

4. America’s Least Stressful Cities, MSNBC, 2008 / Ranking: 1 / Factors: Easy call. The city’s slogan is “Live the Life.” (Note: The writers did not drive Interstate 264 at rush hour.)

3. Top 10 Cities To Give Birth, Fit Pregnancy magazine, 2008 / Ranking: 8 / Factors: Stroller friendliness. (Have you seen that boardwalk?)

2. Top 10 Most Romantic Cities, Business Insider, 2011 / Ranking: 1 / Factors: Residents buy a lot of jewelry on Valentine’s Day. (Nothing says romance like “I had to take a second mortgage.”)

1. America’s Vainest Cities, Forbes, 2007 / Ranking: 8 (Tied with New York City) / Factors: The city has a high plastic surgeon-to-resident ratio. (Also, have you seen some of these other rankings? We’re awesome.)