How do you find information about a city/town ?

I start with a good realtor. I ask about the market conditions and inventory numbers (Coldwell Banker seems to always have good research analysis info). I also go through the local newspaper and cheapy classifieds. I look at values and rentals. I usually then start looking through possible farm areas. I call on rentals and for sales to get an idea of the market and neighboorhood. Researching new construction and unemployment is always a good indicator also.