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The big city life isn't for everybody. Smaller cities, however, provide that small-town feel while maintaining urban sensibilities. They tend to have better commutes, more affordable, fewer crowds, and many other perks compared to huge metropolitan cities like Chicago, New York, and Seattle.
For those curious about which small cities reign supreme in the U.S., WalletHub has you covered. The financial website found the best small cities in the country:
"WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on 43 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita."
One Washington state city was super close to breaking into the Top 10, and that honor goes to Sammamish! Coming in the No. 12 spot, this Seattle suburb is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, particularly Lake Sammamish. People who love the outdoors and recreation are flocking here to find their new homes, real estate experts say.
Here are the Top 10 small cities, according to the study:
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Carmel, Indiana
- Fair Lawn, New Jersey
- Lexington, Massachusetts
- Brentwood, Tennessee
- Melrose, Massachusetts
- Zionsville, Indiana
- Needham, Massachusetts
- Portland, Maine
- Westfield, Indiana
Check out the full study on WalletHub's website.