8 MA Communities Land On Best Small Cities In America List

LEXINGTON, MA — Eight Massachusetts municipalities landed on WalletHub's 2023's Best Small Cities in America list. Lexington was ranked as the top small city in the state and No. 2 in the country.

WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on "45 key indicators of livability." These indicators range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita.

A survey found that almost a third of residents say they'd prefer to live in the suburbs, compared to 16% who prefer urban areas and 24% for rural communities.

"Small-city life can be best for those who appreciate more wiggle room, fewer degrees of separation and shorter commutes, to name just a few of its advantages," WalletHub wrote. "Granted, these little urban areas demand some tradeoffs, too, such as fewer restaurant options or shorter business hours."

One of the biggest advantages to living in a small city is affordability. The No. 1 small city in affordability is Wildwood, MO.

Lexington ranked No. 1 in the education and health category and No. 11 in safety. Overall, Lexington achieved a total score of 70.61.

The No. 1 small city in America was Carmel, IN, which had a total score of 71.16.

Two other Massachusetts small cities made the top ten: Milton at No. 7 and Melrose at No. 8.

Needham ranked No. 14; Arlington ranked No. 20; Newton ranked No. 23; Reading ranked No. 25; and Burlington ranked No. 30.

Read the full study at WalletHub.