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The 20 Best Small Cities In The Us
Carmel, Indiana.
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- Personal-finance company Wallethub has identified the best small cities in America.
- It compared more than 1,321 cities across five key metrics, including affordability and quality of life.
- The list is dominated by cities in the Midwest, with Carmel, Indiana taking the top spot.
Sky-high home prices and a limited supply of available homes in larger, more popular cities have driven many buyers to smaller towns, where they can enjoy a relatively more affordable cost of living and tighter-knit communities.
WalletHub has released an annual report ranking the best small cities in the US. The personal finance company compared more than 1,321 small US cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across five key metrics: affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life, and safety.
The Midwest region — with its strong manufacturing and agricultural roots — boasts the most cities on the list. At the top is Carmel, Indiana, a suburban town just 35 minutes north of Indianapolis, home to several wineries, vineyards, gardens, and walking trails.
"Having lived in Carmel for nearly a decade I can safely say that town is amazing," A resident wrote on neighborhood and school ranking website Niche. "The people are kind and there is always something to do down in the arts center. Having the Monon Trail running through the center of town means there are lots of opportunities to walk around and enjoy the community."
Here are the 20 best small cities in the US, as ranked by Wallethub. Business Insider has also included the median home sale price for each city as of November, sourced from Redfin, along with population data based from the latest available Census figures.
20. Arlington, MassachusettsArlington, Massachusetts.
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- Median housing cost: $1,100,000
- Population: 46,308
19. Needham, MassachusettsWellesley, Massachusetts, pictured here, borders Needham.
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- Median housing cost: $1,375,000
- Population: 32,091
18. Downers Grove, IllinoisDowners Grove, Illinois.
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- Median housing cost: $483,000
- Population: 49,706
17. Saratoga Springs, New YorkSaratoga Springs, New York
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- Median housing cost: $742,500
- Population: 28,544
16. Kaysville, UtahKaysville, Utah.
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- Median housing cost: $754,500
- Population: 32,941
15. Castle Rock, ColoradoCastle Rock, Colorado.
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- Median housing cost: $656,000
- Population: 81,415
14. Noblesville, IndianaThe Hamilton County courthouse building in Noblesville, Indiana
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- Median housing cost: $394,500
- Population: 73,916
13. Leesburg, VirginiaLeesburg, Virginia.
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- Median housing cost: $741,250
- Population: 49,312
12. Fair Lawn, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey, pictured here, borders Fair Lawn and is a 20-minute drive from New York City.
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- Median housing cost: $630,000
- Population: 35,564
11. Milton, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusetts, pictured here, is a 20-minute drive from Milton. Shutterstock
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- Median housing cost: $1,025,000
- Population: 28,630
10. Westfield, IndianaWestfield, Indiana.
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- Median housing cost: $421,000
- Population: 57,746
9. Bozeman, MontanaBozeman, Montana.
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- Median housing cost: $685,000
- Population: 57,305
8. Lancaster, PennsylvaniaLancaster, Pennsylvania.
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- Median housing cost: $236,000
- Population: 18,677
7. Brentwood, TennesseeBrentwood, Tennessee.
Brentwood, Tennessee. Facebook/City of Brentwood, Tennessee Local Government
- Median housing cost: $1,200,000
- Population: 45,265
6. Apex, North CarolinaA home in Apex, North Carolina.
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- Median housing cost: $660,000
- Population: 72,225
5. Appleton, WisconsinAppleton, Wisconsin.
Appleton Downtown/Facebook
- Median housing cost: $260,000
- Population: 74,719
4. Fishers, IndianaFishers, Indiana.
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- Median housing cost: $415,000
- Population: 104,094
3. Lexington, MassachusettsLexington, Massachusetts.
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- Median housing cost: $1,600,000
- Population: 34,454
2. Brookfield, WisconsinBrookfield, Wisconsin.
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- Median housing cost: $462,500
- Population: 41,884
1. Carmel, IndianaCarmel, Indiana.
Michael Godek/Getty Images
- Median housing cost: $479,500
- Population: 102,296
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