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Many Americans are wondering about where to make the next big move. While big-name cities and small towns are the source of much chatter, what if you want to meet in the middle? Small cities are a great alternative for those who crave the urban atmosphere but don't want to deal with the hassle of major metropolitan areas.
That's where WalletHub comes in. The financial website scoured through data to determine the best and worst small cities to live in the country. Researchers compiled their rankings after comparing "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."
A popular city in Washington state ranked in the Top 20, and that's Redmond! This King County spot got the highest marks in the "Economic Growth" category, which includes population growth, income growth, unemployment rate, debt to median earnings, median credit score, and more.
Here are the best small cities to live in, according to the study:
- Carmel, Indiana
- Lexington, Massachusetts
- Brentwood, Tennessee
- Westfield, Indiana
- Fishers, Indiana
- Fair Lawn, New Jersey
- Milton, Massachusetts
- Melrose, Massachusetts
- Saratoga Springs, New York
- Brookfield, Wisconsin