The 10 best affordable small cities in the US — as a third of Americans shun big-city life
If living in a big city is too big, but a small town too small, buying a home in a small city just might be the perfect middle ground.
Almost one-third of Americans say they’d prefer the suburbs over a big city, and🧔 the cost of housing and other expenses is clearly one🙈 factor driving them toward greener pastures.
But since country living may be a little too sleepy, small cities hit that sweet spot with plenty to do at a more budget-friendly price—and a new survey has found the bꩲest of the bunch.
WalletHub has ranked the best 1,318 small citꦕies in America with populations between 25,000 and 100,000, analyzing 45 key indicators of livability that fall into these categories: affordability, economic health, education and health, safety, and quality of life.
“Moving from a bustling metropolis city to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living,” says WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “On top of ๊that, the best small cities offer strong job markets, high-quality education, good health care, safe living conditions, and plenty of local flair to help you achieve a high quality of life.”
Additionally, smal꧂l cities offer a smoother commute than urban metr💖os.
“With fewer residents and less congestion, travel within these cities is more convenient, which contributes to a better work-life balance,” says Lupo. “While they may be sacrificing some urban amenities, the combination of affordability and ease of living ♎makes these small cities appealing alternatives to both larger cities and rural communities.”
If you’re planning to pack up and decamp to one of t♛he best small cities, it would help if you l🍰ike the Hoosier state.
Indiana dominates the list, with four of its small cities (Carmel, Fishers,﷽ Westfield, and Noble🅺sville) making the top 99th percentile, more than any other state.
Hometown 🧜of the ;Colts and the Pacers, Indiana is where native John Mellencamp penned th🍬e ultimate anthem to small towns: “Small Town.”
It’s got plenty of top-notch colleges, including No🍌tre Dame, Purdue, and Indiana University.
Here are 10 of the best-ranked small affordable cities, alo💖ng with their overall affordability rank and median price of a home.
Overall affordability rank: 19
Median listing price: $440,000
Fishers has the charm of a small town combined with the industry of l꧋arger metros; INCOG BioPharma Services is based here.
“Fishers is a leading hub for life sciences and biopharma manufacturing,” says Mayor ;Scott🐼 Fadness.
Fishers Event Center hosts major entertainers like standup comedian Leanne Morgan. There’🎃s also a 70-acre waterfront park for swimming and nonmotor boats, walking trails, and playgrounds. Fishers ranks fifth in safety and 43rd in education and health.
Overall affordability rank: 20
Median listing price: $520,000
Only 20 minutes away by car from F﷽ishers is Westfield. With no fewer than 11 parks, this small city offers plenty for nature lovers.
The heart of the town, Grand Junction Plaza, has loads of free entertainment, from concerts to movies. This small city 🥀ranks sixth in safety and 59th in education✨ and health.
Overall affordability rank: 26
Median listing price: $530,000
“Carmel is probably the most expensive part of the state, and hom🔴e to many Indiana celebrities,” says real estate investor Tyler Drew.
A big draw is the low unemployment rate (3%) combined with a high median an🐻nuaꦕl household income ($133,000).
It has a healthy commu🐭nity, with the fourth-lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, and the 23rd-lowest premature death rate in the country.
Its streets are safe, with the fourth-lowes﷽t pedestrian fatality rate and the 75th-lowest violent crime rate.
In case that doesn’t impress you, the 🍌town has no fewer th🃏an 140 roundabouts—more than any other U.S. locality—which contributes to its safe streets.
Overall affordability rank: 30
Median listing price: $600,000
Less than a half-hour from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and Duke University, and 15 miles from𒁏 an international airport, Apex combines the conveniences of a college town with the charm of a small city.
Ther🐠e’s a historic downtown with plenty of shops and restaurants, and 💦camping, fishing, and boating at nearby lakes.
Overall affordability rank: 35
Median listing price: $717,500
Home to 📖Uta𒈔h State University and its famous botanical gardens, Kaysville was settled by Latter-day Saints pioneers in 1847.
With stunning views of the Rocky Mountains, Kaysville has plenty fo🀅r the outdoor🐻 enthusiast with parks, trails, and a large soccer pavilion.
Overall affordability rank: 76
Median listing price: $500,000
Brookfield, outside of Milwaukee, has a very low unemployment rate (3%), and only 3% of♍ the city’s population lives in poverty, the 10th-lowest percentage among all the cities in t🃏he study.
Brookfield residents also have the 96th-highe𝓰st homeownership rate in the country and the fifth-lowest share of residents in fair or poor health.
Its lar🌱ge city hospital, Elmbrook, with many specialized services, helps with that. Additionally, 98% of the population has health insurance, the 11th-highest percentage in the nation.
Overall affordability rank: 78
Median listing price: $400,000
A suburb along the White River and only 13 minutes north of Fishers, Noblesville is home to the Ruoff Music Center — a 25,000-seat amphitheater that draws famous musicians from around the world — and the Hamilton County 𒅌Courthouse, one of the country’s more famous and stunning examples of Second Empire Style architecture.
Overall affordability rank: 84
Median listing price: $739,000
꧃Less than an hour away from Denver, Castle Rock is named for the iconic castle-shaped butte visible from downtown.
꧟It’s also close to Castlewood Canyon State Park, where you can marvel at ancient geological formations, camp, hikꦐe, and perhaps glimpse a wolf.
Overall affordability rank: 98
Median listing price: $1.7 million
Brentwood’s website boasts not only “pr🅠istine hills and lush forests” but also a th🤡riving retail and restaurant scene.
It’s ranked 🎉58 in economic health and 60 in safety. The town ranks no lower than an 8 on the Realtor.com® school ﷽rankings for each of its schools.
It’s also , where musicians, actors, and other headline 🏅names have flocked for a slower pace of life away from the bright lights of Hollywood.
Overall affordability rank: 101
Median listing price: $634,500
Loꦑcated 12 miles northwest of New York City, Fair Lawn is a town that has kept its historical vibe. Its oldest house, the Garreston-Brocker home, was erected around 1708 and now functions as a museum.
The town’s website boasts of President George Washington visiting the area 🐲for each year of th🐷e Revolutionary War when he served as general.
It’s ran🥂ked 21 overall in safಞety and 34th in education and health.
