Ranking the habitability of major cities is a favorite pastime of sociologists, economists and urban-planning enthusiasts the world over. The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of humanity resides in urban areas (expected to rise to 7 out of 10 by 2050), but a sizable chunk of us favor small-town charm to metropolitan hustle-and-bustle.
For city dwellers, signature rankings like Monocle magazine’s “Quality of Life Survey,” The Economist Intelligence Unit’s “ Global Livability Ranking and Report” (registration required) and Forbes’s “ Best Big Cities for Jobs” recommend places like Portland, Ore.; Austin, Tex.; or San Jose, Calif.
But what are the options for Americans in search of a quieter life? Those in search of bigger backyards, or better public schools?
According to a number of publications, the best small towns in America — for either day-to-day living or even a short visit — range from the luxurious (Condé Nast Traveler recommends Aspen, Colo., and Newport, R.I.) to the family oriented (Family Circle likes Westborough, Mass., for its top-notch schools and Camas, Wash., for its eco-friendly public programming) to the simply practical (Nerd Wallet chose Riverton, Utah, for the low cost of living and Fishers, Ind., for its affordable housing market).
Op-Talk has assembled the best of the Internet’s small-town rankings below. Some themes worth noting:
- Indiana is surprisingly livable!
- The Golden State, predictably, cleaned up.
- New Mexico: just as nice for tourists as it is for locals.
- Don’t give up on the Rust Belt just yet.
- Thinking of building a highly livable small town? Consider naming it some variation of “Carmel”!
To visit (or live in, if you can afford it):
- Santa Fe, N.M. — “No other place in the country so beautifully reflects the art, architecture, food, and crafts of centuries of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influence.”
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.
- Napa, Calif.
- Telluride, Colo.
- Newport, R.I.
- Santa Barbara, Calif.
- Jackson, Wyo.
- Aspen, Colo.
- Sedona, Ariz.
- Key West, Fla.
- Chautauqua, N.Y. — “The sort of bucolic place where folks like to go for slow-lane vacations, but there’s much more to it than ice-cream cones and ferry rides.”
- Healdsburg, Calif.
- Williamsburg, Va.
- Steamboat Springs, Colo.
- Woods Hole, Mass.
- Marietta, Ohio
- Beaufort, S.C.
- Sedona, Ariz.
- Nebraska City, Neb.
- Lanesboro, Minn.
- Telluride, Colo. — “A unique way to experience Colorado’s mountains, replete with small-town charm that many other major ski areas lack.”
- Beaufort, S.C.
- Marfa, Tex.
- Paia, Hawaii
- Calistoga, Calif.
- Port Townsend, Wash.
- Stockbridge, Mass.
- Cooperstown, N.Y.
- Ashland, Ore.
- Bardstown, Ky.
To live in (if you’re not a Rockefeller):
- Los Alamos, N.M. — “Ranked high in nearly all of the metrics we researched for this list, including diversity, education, population growth, health and civic engagement.”
- Northfield, Minn.
- Lebanon, N.H.
- Hood River, Ore.
- Port Angeles, Wash.
- Glenwood Springs, Colo.
- Spearfish, S.D.
- Heber City, Utah
- Traverse City, Mich.
- Hailey, Idaho
- Carmel, Ind. — “Carmel residents earn relatively high median incomes — workers make an average of $53,228 a year — and incomes have grown by a whopping 15.5 percent over a three-year period.”
- Friendswood, Tex.
- Riverton, Utah
- Sammamish, Wash.
- Fishers, Ind.
- Danville, Calif.
- Richland, Wash.
- San Ramon, Calif.
- Dublin, Ohio
- Woodbury, Minn.
- Westborough, Mass. — “This leafy Boston suburb is a place where people love to mingle.”
- Camas, Wash.
- Franklin, Tenn.
- Westfield, Ind.
- Woodbury, Minn.
- Boerne, Tex.
- Lake Mary, Fla.
- Elmhurst, Ill.
- Apex, N.C.
- Brecksville, Ohio