100 Best Small Towns In America: 2 In CT Make List

CONNECTICUT — Two small towns in Connecticut have been named among the best in the country, according to a new report.

The travel media company Far and Wide recently ranked the 100 best towns with fewer than 10,000 residents.

The list includes well-known towns across the country — including Harpers Ferry in West Virginia, Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, and Cooperstown in New York — and as well as lesser-known gems such as Monowi, Nebraska. Monowi, with a population of one, has ranked as the No. 1 small town in America.

Here are the two towns from Connecticut that made the list:

• #85 Essex
• Population: 6,733
• Far and Wide writers said, "The past has been kept alive and well in gorgeous Essex, with rows of historic houses that have been beautifully preserved." They urged folks to visit the Connecticut River Museum, which is "located on a 19th-century steamboat warehouse — a type of structure that is basically extinct. " (Click here to see more information).

• #66 Mystic
• Population: 4,348
• Far and Wide writers said, "Thousands fill the small town of Mystic every summer, as its waterfront location lends itself to its long maritime past." The writers noted that Mystic is home to Mystic Aquarium and the "charming living history village in Mystic Seaport." Of course, the writers also mentioned that some people know of Mystic from the movie "Mystic Pizza," starring Julia Roberts. (Click here to see more information).

The Midwest and South regions were home to several of the best small towns in America, according to the report. Towns in Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Missouri, Alabama, West Virginia, South Dakota, and Kentucky all cracked the top 10.

1. Monowi, Nebraska
2. Mooresville, Alabama
3. Stockholm, Wisconsin
4. Medora, North Dakota
5. Watch Hill, Rhode Island
6. Rocheport, Missouri
7. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
8. Keystone, South Dakota
9. Trinidad, California
10. Grand Rivers, Kentucky

View the full list from 100 to 1 from Far and Wide here.