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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Bianca Jorgenson's career has taken off in the North.

At 23, she manages fundraising and co-ordinates volunteers of the Canadian Cancer Society throughout the entire NWT.

Bianca Jorgenson says her job with the Canadian Cancer Society in Yellowknife has helped kickstart a career she wouldn't have the chance to do in Vancouver. April Robinson/NNSL photo

If she had stayed in Vancouver, she might still be serving coffee at Starbucks.

"I come here and I can actually make a difference – instead of, 'Here's your tall latte!" said Jorgenson, who moved to Yellowknife with her boyfriend a little more than a year ago.

Relatively high-paying and abundant job opportunities for young professionals are just some of the reasons why Yellowknife ranked high on the list of the best cities to live in for singles and mid-career professionals in a new book.

Who's Your City – written by a University of Toronto business professor – provides rankings of Canadian cities by life-stage. Yellowknife ranked fourth place for mid-career people and fifth for singles and families. It did not make the top 10 for empty-nesters or retirees.

"Yellowknife has a history of having a very young population," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem. "The opportunities here are second to none."

Calgary was ranked the best city for singles, while Ottawa-Gatineau came on top for mid-career people, families and retirees. Toronto topped the list for empty-nesters. Iqaluit came second for singles, and fifth for mid-career people.

In his research, author Richard Florida considered factors such as the percentage of the city's population that fits a particular life stage, economic growth, creativity, talent and tolerance, according to his website, www.creativeclass.com. He also considered amenities such as arts and culture and the cost of living.

Florida, who was not available for an interview, writes that people need different cities to live in at different points in their lives.

Van Tighem, who said he was consulted during the author's research, said he was not surprised Yellowknife ranked high on the list.

"Yellowknife has the legacy for many years of being a government town where people work here only a short time," he said. "But over years they demanded certain things," he said, which added to the city's quality of life.

Years ago, Van Tighem's daughter made it to the nationals with her ringette team – an opportunity she might not have otherwise had if she was competing in a bigger centre, he said.

But the perception of Yellowknife as just a young town is changing, he added.

"People are having their grandchildren here," he said. "A lot of people now come from here ... There's good fishing, clean air, clean water and nice people."

Jorgenson isn't so sure about retiring in Yellowknife – but she said she and her boyfriend would like to stay for about five years.

The natural beauty has captivated her. The northern lights and long, sunny summer days are enough to make up for the freezing winters, she said.

"My Canada goose jacket is my best friend," she said.

Even though the high cost of living was an initial shocker, it can't compare to the calmness of the city – and the easy commute. For Jorgenson, who doesn't have a post-secondary education, the chance to start a professional career in Yellowknife makes it the right city for her.

"I think I've definitely learned a lot from being up here," she said. "Some things are just so valuable, you can't put a price on it."