St. Paul ranks 12th and Minneapolis 18th on a new list of the 100 best places to raise children, published by Children's Health magazine.

Must be something in the air on the east side of the Mississippi River that gives St. Paul the edge.

Actually, the rankings were based on employment, health, housing, safety, education and family life.

The top 10:

   1. Burlington, Vt., because, the magazine said: "The schools' per-pupil spending and graduation rates rank near the top of the country, as does the percentage of the population with advanced degrees and the median family income. And, as is often the case, wealth leads to health—there's less obesity here than anywhere else in the country, possibly because the city also has the fewest fast-food restaurants per capita."
   2. Madison, Wis.
   3. Fargo, N.D.
   4. Lincoln, Neb.
   5. Fremont, Calif.
   6. Lexington, Ky.
   7. Honolulu, Hawaii
   8. Cheyenne, Wyo.
   9. Omaha, Neb.
  10. Yonkers, N.Y.