Almost half of Americans (47%) would prefer to live in the suburbs, according to a 2024 Ipsos poll.
That’s compared to 24% who prefer urban areas and 23% who would opt for rural communities.
Small towns can provide a lot of advantages. Many have high-quality schools, shorter commutes, good health care systems and high levels of public safety.
Their biggest benefit, however, might be lower cost of living. Generally, small towns have lower housing and rent costs than large cities. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a two-parent, two-child family in Hanford, Calif., spends $8,013 a month on the cost of living, while the same family in San Francisco would have to spend $17,621.
“Moving from a bustling metropolis to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, in a statement. “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. While small cities may lack some advantages of big cities, like robust public transportation systems, they make up for these shortcomings in other areas.”
The slideshow above highlight the best small cities in the United States right now, according to WalletHub.
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