Not everyone craves the bright lights and crowded spaces of big cities. In fact, almost half of Americans (47%) say they would prefer to live in the suburbs, compared to 24% for urban areas and 23% for rural communities. Small-city life can be best for those who appreciate more wiggle room, fewer degrees of separation and shorter commutes, to name just a few of its advantages. Granted, these little urban areas demand some tradeoffs, too, such as fewer restaurant options or shorter business hours.
One of the best perks of living in a city with a relatively small population is affordability. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the cost of living for a two-parent, two-child family in Hanford, California, for instance, would be $8,013 per month, compared with more than double at $17,621 for the same family in San Francisco.
No two small cities are made equal, though, so which ones outshine the rest? To find out, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on 45 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita.
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Given the large sample of cities ranked in this study, we grouped cities by percentile. The 99th percentile represents the top 1 percent of small cities in America.
Best Small Cities to Live in America
Notes: *99 = Best
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Lowest
- 1. New Lenox, IL
- 2. Granite City, IL
- 3. Marshalltown, IA
- 4. Gillette, WY
- 5. Wethersfield, CT
- Highest
- 1314. Bell Gardens, CA
- 1315. Lakewood, NJ
- 1316. West Lafayette, IN
- 1317. San Luis Obispo, CA
- 1318. Isla Vista, CA
- Highest
- 1. West Islip, NY
- 2. Granger, IN
- 3. Colleyville, TX
- 4. Southlake, TX
- 5. The Villages, FL
- Lowest
- 1314. Statesboro, GA
- 1315. West Hollywood, CA
- 1316. Union City, NJ
- 1317. Isla Vista, CA
- 1318. Fort Hood, TX
- Lowest
- 1. Southlake, TX
- T-2. New Lenox, IL
- T-2. Westfield, NJ
- 4. Oswego, IL
- T-5. Dublin, OH
- T-5. Brentwood, TN
- Highest
- 1314. West Lafayette, IN
- 1315. Monroe, LA
- 1316. State College, PA
- T-1317. Blacksburg, VA
- T-1317. Isla Vista, CA
- Highest
- T-1. Coachella, CA
- T-1. Rexburg, ID
- T-1. East Palo Alto, CA
- T-1. San Luis, AZ
- T-1. Florence, AZ
- Lowest
- 1314. Williston, ND
- 1315. Isla Vista, CA
- 1316. Morgantown, WV
- 1317. West Lafayette, IN
- 1318. Jacksonville, AR
- Highest
- 1. Leawood, KS
- 2. Lafayette, CA
- T-3. Lake Oswego, OR
- T-3. Colleyville, TX
- T-3. Los Altos, CA
- Lowest
- 1314. San Luis, AZ
- 1315. Immokalee, FL
- 1316. Huntington Park, CA
- 1317. Bell Gardens, CA
- 1318. Maywood, CA
- Highest
- T-1. San Carlos, CA
- T-1. Saratoga, CA
- 3. Lexington, MA
- 4. Milton, MA
- 5. Lafayette, CA
- Lowest
- 1314. Pharr, TX
- 1315. Lake Worth Beach, FL
- T-1316. Balch Springs, TX
- T-1316. Immokalee, FL
- 1318. Socorro, TX
- Lowest
- 1. Isla Vista, CA
- 2. East Lansing, MI
- 3. State College, PA
- 4. West Lafayette, IN
- 5. Blacksburg, VA
- Highest
- 1314. Williston, ND
- 1315. Jacksonville, NC
- 1316. Twentynine Palms, CA
- 1317. Hoboken, NJ
- 1318. Fort Hood, TX
- Most
- 1. Key West, FL
- 2. Winchester, VA
- 3. Fredericksburg, VA
- 4. Newburgh, NY
- 5. Easton, PA
- Fewest
- 1311. Irondequoit, NY
- 1312. Central, LA
- 1313. Atascocita, TX
- 1314. Riverside, OH
- 1315. Brighton, NY
- Most
- T-1. Sarasota, FL
- T-1. Greenville, SC
- T-1. Santa Monica, CA
- T-1. Duluth, GA
- T-1. Pensacola, FL
- Fewest
- 1300. Adelanto, CA
- 1301. St. George, UT
- 1302. Atascocita, TX
- 1303. Lake in the Hills, IL
- 1304. El Mirage, AZ
In-Depth Look at the Best Small Cities
Carmel, IN
Carmel, IN, is the best small city to live in, due in part to strong economic factors. Carmel has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, at 3.30%. It also has the 46th-lowest cost of rent as a share of median household income, at around 14%. On top of that, the median annual household income is nearly $135,000, 125th-highest out of the more than 1,300 cities in our study.
Low unemployment and high incomes have helped people in Carmel obtain high credit scores. The median credit score in the city is 775, which is the 20th-highest in the country and well into the excellent credit range.
Finally, Carmel is a good place for residents’ health and safety. It has the 11th-lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, along with the 21st-lowest premature death rate in the country. When it comes to safety, it has the third-lowest pedestrian fatality rate and the 70th-lowest violent crime rate.
Brookfield, WI
Brookfield, WI, is the second-best small city to live in, and it has a 2.7% unemployment rate, one of the lowest in the country. In addition, only 3.5% of the city’s population lives in poverty, the 14th-lowest percentage among the more than 1,300 cities in our study.
Brookfield residents also have the 110th-highest homeownership rate in the country, along with the 10th-best median credit score. At 782, the median credit score is far into the excellent credit range.
On top of good economic conditions, Brookfield residents enjoy good health. The city has the 21st-lowest share of residents in fair or poor health, and over 98% of the population has health insurance, the 12th-highest percentage in the nation. Brookfield also has the 36th-lowest percentage of adults with no leisure time. Having adequate leisure time is beneficial for one’s mental health.
Finally, Brookfield demonstrates safety with the 128th-lowest violent crime rate and 17th-lowest pedestrian fatality rate in the country.
Apex, NC
Apex, NC, is the third-best small city to live in, boasting the 12th-lowest unemployment rate and 56th-lowest violent crime rate among the more than 1,300 cities in our study. It also performs well economically, with the 20th-highest employment growth and the 5th-lowest share of residents living below the poverty line.
In addition, Apex has the 112th-highest median annual household incomes in the country, at over $138,000. Residents also have the 27th-highest median credit score, at 770, showing that people in the city are doing very well financially.
To top things off, Apex has the 32nd-best school systems in the country and the 14th-highest share of people with a high school degree or higher. And when it comes to health and fitness, Apex has the 27th-lowest share of adults in poor or fair health, and the 162nd-most fitness centers per capita.
Ask the Experts
Living in a small city can be fulfilling, but it comes with challenges as well. We asked a panel of experts in fields such as urban development and public safety to share their thoughts on the pros and cons of small-city life and how to make these areas more attractive to prospective residents. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are the most important financial factors to consider when deciding where to live?
- What are the benefits of living in a small city versus a large city? What are the drawbacks?
- In evaluating the best small cities to live in, what are the top five indicators?
- What can local policymakers in small cities do to attract and retain new residents?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D. – H. Russell Bomhoff Professor of Economics, W. Frank Barton School of Business - Wichita State University
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Interim Chair & Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Development, College of Design - Iowa State University
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Ph.D. – Assistant Vice President- Economic & Community Development, Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, Office of the Provost - West Virginia University
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Professor, Urban Studies and Planning, and National Center for Smart Growth - University of Maryland
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Ph.D., CRE - Emeritus Professor, Department of City & Regional Planning - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Real Estate, Editor Review of Regional Studies, Department of Finance, Strome College of Business – Old Dominion University
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine the best small cities in America, WalletHub compared 1,318 cities across five key dimensions: 1) Affordability, 2) Economic Health, 3) Education & Health, 4) Quality of Life and 5) Safety. For our sample, we selected cities with population sizes between 25,000 and 100,000 and considered only the “city proper” in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.
We then evaluated the five dimensions using 45 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for small-city residents. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we calculated population size using the square root of the population in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Affordability – Total Points: 20
- Median Household Income: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Cost of Living: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Homeownership Rate: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Housing Costs: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Note: This composite metric consists of:- Median Home Price / Median Annual Household Income
- Median Annual Gross Rent / Median Annual Household Income
- Share of Households with Severe Housing Cost Burden: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Economic Health – Total Points: 20
- Population Growth: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Income Growth: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Job Growth: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Share of Population Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Debt per Median Earnings: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Share of People Who Had a Bankruptcy in the Past 12 Months: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Education & Health – Total Points: 20
- School-System Quality*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best & Worst School Systems” ranking. - High School Graduation Rate: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with a High School Diploma or Higher: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Insured Population: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Premature-Death Rate: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Adults in Poor or Fair Health: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Live Births with Low Birthweight: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Obese Adults: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Share of Physically Inactive Adults: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
- Limited Access to Healthy Foods: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: "Limited Access to Healthy Foods" refers to the share of population that is low income and does not live close to a grocery store.
Quality of Life – Total Points: 20
- Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Share of Population Who Walk to Work: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Average Weekly Work Hours: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Restaurants per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Bars per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Clubs per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Movie Theaters per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Museums per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Performing Arts Centers per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Fitness Centers per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Bike Rental Facilities per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Parks per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Department Stores per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Safety – Total Points: 20
- Violent-Crime Rate: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Property-Crime Rate: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Drug Poisoning Deaths per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of September 2, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Areavibes, TransUnion, TripAdvisor, County Health Rankings, Yelp, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ATTOM, a property data provider - U.S. Foreclosure Market Report and WalletHub research.
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