In a five-year growth analysis, Cochrane remains the fastest growing community in Canada but needs work in other areas to be one considered one of the top places to live.

Cochrane falls short in many other categories according to the annual report "Canada's Best Places to Live 2018" by Money Sense magazine, although by this year's weighing scale the town is climbing the ranks.

In its annual report "Canada's Best Places to Live 2018,"  the magazine Money Sense, Cochrane was pegged at having an average growth rate of at 5.6 per cent per year over the last five years, topping both Airdrie (5.4 per cent) and Chestermere (4.4 per cent).

According to the article by Claire Brownell, Cochrane's growing at twice the rate of Calgary because of the enormous number of new homes added over the last eight years. That may be annoying to long-time residents but the magazine takes the stance that regardless of these problems, growth is a good thing. 

"New residents bring congestion and rising housing prices, but they also provide economic stimulus, tax revenues and families that become part of the community's fabric," states Brownell in her article. "The change may seem annoying to long-time residents, but the newcomers chose the city for a reason."

Still, when it comes to ratings of the best places to live, Cochrane places 89th, well below such nearby Alberta centres as Canmore (ranked 7th) and Calgary (30th). Its report says Oakville and Ottawa are at the top, only separated by a fraction of a point. On the upside, Cochrane rose from its 2017's placing of 174th overall of 415 Canadian centres rated. 

Cochrane was ranked the 99th best place for new Canadians, breaking into the top 100 for the first time, but did not rank in the top 100 for families or for retirees.

Rocky View County, often the target of concern here in Cochrane, has grown an average of 2 per cent per year in the five-year snapshot. It's residents, though, are considered to have the highest household net worth in Alberta, just behind Westmount, QC (Montreal). It's pegged at an average of $3.3 million per household. Cochrane is ranked 70th at $885,205.

The Red Deer area, including Lacombe, rated highest in the province as the best place to live in Alberta. In the immediate area, Canmore and Calgary were rated higher than Cochrane in all areas but growth.

Annually the magazine takes an extensive look at how Canada's larger communities stack up against each other. They take into account wealth, economy, affordability, growth, taxes, transit, crime, weather, health care, amenities and culture. On its website, the magazine offers people the opportunity to adjust the weighing scale given to each category to create your own ranking.