With less traffic, lower costs, and a more neighborly atmosphere, small towns have a lot to offer. The digital age and the rise of remote work have made small town life possible for more Americans, including those with high-powered jobs.
If you’ve thought of leaving the big city for a small town, WalletHub has a list you don’t want to miss. The credit website has ranked 2024’s Best Small Cities in America.
To determine the winners, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The researchers considered 45 key indicators, ranging from housing costs to quality of education and even the number of restaurants per capita.
Carmel, IN ranked #1 nationwide, followed by Brookfield, WI and Lexington, MA.
No California city made it into the top 40. The closest was Los Altos, CA which came in 42nd. Los Altos has one of the highest median annual household incomes among small cities in the U.S.
According to WalletHub, the five best small cities in California are:
Los Altos (#42)
Palo Alto (#47)
Livermore (#66)
Saratoga (#84)
Yorba Linda (#88)
See full rankings and methodology here.
List and data were compiled by WalletHub and do reflect statistics on all cities.