You don’t need to settle down in a major city for quality education, career options and things to do. Some of the best places to live in America are located in smaller cities, just outside the noise and sprawl of large metropolitan areas.
When determining the top 250 Best Places to Live, U.S. News’ annual analysis evaluated data related to desirability, quality of life, job market and value in 859 U.S. cities. This includes crime rates, cost of living, job market, net migration, climate, quality of education and more.
From that list, these 15 small cities — all with populations under 100,000 — stood out. Read on to learn why these small cities ranked within the top 30 overall.
— 15. Cedar Park, Texas
— 14. Edmond, Oklahoma
— 13. Bethesda, Maryland
— 12. West Hartford, Connecticut
— 11. Ankeny, Iowa
— 10. Plymouth, Minnesota
— 9. Pflugerville, Texas
— 8. Flower Mound, Texas
— 7. Ellicott City, Maryland
— 6. Sammamish, Washington
— 5. Troy, Michigan
— 4. Rochester Hills, Michigan
— 3. Leander, Texas
— 2. Apex, North Carolina
— 1. Johns Creek, Georgia
[See: The Fastest-Growing Places in the U.S. in 2025-2026]
15. Cedar Park, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 23
Population: 77,959
Average Commute: 23 minutes
Median Home Price: $503,708
Median Monthly Rent: $1,482
Median Household Income: $124,554
Cedar Park, one of three cities in the Austin metro area to earn a place on this year’s 25 Best Places to Live list, ranks in the top 5% of all cities in terms of quality of life, with high scores for college readiness and air quality. Home to the Austin Community College Cypress Creek Campus, the city is within a 50-mile radius of nearly 50 colleges and universities. Cedar Park is also in the top 10% of cities in the job market category, thanks to higher scores in the income index, and has an unemployment rate of 3.34% — lower than the national average of 4.5%. Sports fans will enjoy the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, which is home to the NBA’s Austin Spurs basketball team and the AHL’s Texas Stars hockey team.
14. Edmond, Oklahoma
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 22
Population: 96,125
Average Commute: 22 minutes
Median Home Price: $317,536
Median Monthly Rent: $929
Median Household Income: $95,418
Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City, earned high marks in this year’s Best Places to Live rankings for its affordability, job market and overall value. With a low unemployment rate of 2.6%, Edmond ranks in the top 10% of cities for job opportunities. Its strong performance in the income index and cost of living helped it score in the top 10th percentile for both value and employment, offering residents a higher quality of life at a lower cost. The area’s top employers are concentrated in the education and health care sectors, which makes sense given the presence of two universities in the city — the public University of Central Oklahoma and the private Oklahoma Christian University.
13. Bethesda, Maryland
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 21
Population: 71,865
Average Commute: 28 minutes
Median Home Price: $1,004,244
Median Monthly Rent: $1,946
Median Household Income: $189,538
Sitting north of the nation’s capital, Bethesda is an affluent suburb recognized for having the No.1 job market in the country. Despite a median home price exceeding $1 million, Bethesda is full of high-income employment opportunities, particularly in the medical field, and residents enjoy a median household income of nearly $190,000, significantly higher than the national median of $79,466. In addition to its role as a major business and government center, Bethesda is a significant player in the video game industry as the home of Bethesda Game Studios, known for The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Starfield.
12. West Hartford, Connecticut
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 19
Population: 63,927
Average Commute: 19 minutes
Median Home Price: $372,249
Median Monthly Rent: $1,233
Median Household Income: $121,568
With under 64,000 residents, West Hartford is the smallest city on U.S. News’ 15 Best Small Cities to Live list. Despite its lower population density, this New England town ranked in the top 5th percentile for its job market, the 10th percentile for its quality of life and the 15th percentile for desirability. This small city also invested heavily in education, allowing it to earn the No. 11 spot for college readiness. West Hartford offers a suburban setting with urban amenities and a vibrant cultural scene that includes the annual Celebrate! West Hartford festival, a two-day festival that draws nearly 40,000 visitors with vendors, food and live music.
11. Ankeny, Iowa
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 18
Population: 73,578
Average Commute: 21 minutes
Median Home Price: $303,067
Median Monthly Rent: $984
Median Household Income: $103,986
Located north of Des Moines, Ankeny is a small Midwestern community known for its affordability, job market and growing population. Ankeny has a robust economy, boasting the fifth-highest employment score of any city in our rankings and the 18th spot for job market. It’s also the ninth-best city for housing affordability and earned the No. 35 spot for value. The city’s growing population added more than 8,000 residents between 2020 and 2024, which placed it in the top 10% for net migration. Outdoor recreation and entertainment abound in Ankeny, with 40 parks and over 40 miles of trails to explore.
10. Plymouth, Minnesota
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 17
Population: 76,952
Average Commute: 20 minutes
Median Home Price: $455,827
Median Monthly Rent: $1,384
Median Household Income: $132,041
Plymouth is a hardworking city in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. It has the No. 6 job market in the nation and the city earned the third-highest score in the unemployment index — 1.8% compared with the national average of 4.5% — with top industries in manufacturing, wholesale trade and insurance. While Minnesota winters aren’t for everyone, Plymouth also ranks in the top 5% for quality of life, with high marks for college readiness. It’s the headquarters for powersports manufacturer Polaris Industries.
9. Pflugerville, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 15
Population: 66,278
Average Commute: 24 minutes
Median Home Price: $441,873
Median Monthly Rent: $1,505
Median Household Income: $118,047
Pflugerville, known as the “Trail Capital of Texas,” offers 56 miles of trail systems as well as a strong economy and top-rated schools. Located less than 20 miles from downtown Austin, Pflugerville provides the benefit of a low crime rate and lower home prices while offering access to urban resources. Its job market ranks in the top 10%. The city also ranks in the top 5% of all cities analyzed for its air quality, which helped Pflugerville earn a high score in overall quality of life.
8. Flower Mound, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 14
Population: 77,122
Average Commute: 27 minutes
Median Home Price: $476,609
Median Monthly Rent: $1,642
Median Household Income: $163,766
Flower Mound is centrally located within the fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth area and borders the scenic shores of Grapevine Lake. The city gets its name from a 12.5-acre natural mound at its center, which blooms with more than 175 species of wildflowers each spring. Flower Mound ranks in the No. 30 spot for its job market and has a median household income that’s more than twice the national median. Although the commute may be longer than some other cities on this list, there are plenty of job opportunities, especially in communications, education and health care. In addition to its strong economy, Flower Mound ranks No. 22 overall for housing affordability.
7. Ellicott City, Maryland
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 13
Population: 77,336
Average Commute: 25 minutes
Median Home Price: $627,797
Median Monthly Rent: $1,775
Median Household Income: $163,286
Ellicott City, situated between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., provides residents with access to both urban and suburban amenities. Despite its smaller size, Ellicott City ranks No. 11 for overall quality of life thanks to its low crime rates and top-rated health care. The city’s strong school system earned it the No. 31 spot for college readiness. Job seekers should have no problem finding employment — Ellicott City took the No. 7 spot for its job market.
6. Sammamish, Washington
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 11
Population: 64,557
Average Commute: 29 minutes
Median Home Price: $1,185,433
Median Monthly Rent: $2,403
Median Household Income: $235,013
East of Seattle, Sammamish lies between Lake Sammamish, Soaring Eagle Regional Park and Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park. It’s surrounded by nature and offers outdoor recreational activities, while also being conveniently close to major tech hubs like Microsoft and Amazon in the greater Seattle metro area, which helps it earn the No. 3 job market ranking. While the cost of living is higher, Sammamish offsets that with a median household income well above the national median. The city also ranks No. 21 in desirability and No. 25 for overall quality of life, making it a popular choice for those looking to balance career opportunities and a family-friendly, nature-oriented lifestyle.
5. Troy, Michigan
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 10
Population: 87,452
Average Commute: 22 minutes
Median Home Price: $385,318
Median Monthly Rent: $1,172
Median Household Income: $118,274
Troy, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit, is home to major corporate headquarters and is known for the Somerset Collection Mall, an upscale shopping center. Troy performed best in quality of life, earning the No. 34 spot for college readiness and some of the highest-rated public schools in the state and country, including Troy High School. The suburb also falls within the top 15% of desirable small cities for its low crime rate and within the top 20% of cities for job market strength.
4. Rochester Hills, Michigan
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 9
Population: 75,425
Average Commute: 21 minutes
Median Home Price: $377,213
Median Monthly Rent: $1,168
Median Household Income: $116,432
Just north of Troy, Rochester Hills is another quiet Detroit suburb known for its well-maintained parks and nature trails. The city is home to Bloomer Park and Thelma G. Spencer Park, where visitors enjoy hiking trails, picnic areas and other outdoor activities. The 8.5-mile Paint Creek Trail, a linear park that connects several communities, is a favorite local spot for walking, running and biking. Similar to Troy, Rochester Hills stands out for its quality of life. The city earned the No. 22 spot for college readiness, and it’s also the second-safest city in the Best Small Cities to Live list and ranked in the top 2% for environmental risk for its low chance of extreme weather events.
3. Leander, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 8
Population: 77,556
Average Commute: 28 minutes
Median Home Price: $493,774
Median Monthly Rent: $1,485
Median Household Income: $131,822
Leander, Texas, another Austin suburb, is one of the fastest-growing cities on this list, coming in at No. 3 for net migration on the overall Best Places to Live list. Between 2010 and 2020, Leander’s population grew by more than 123%, and it’s estimated to have grown an additional 47.8% from 2020 to 2024. Similar to other Texas cities, Leander’s quality of life and job market performed well, ranking in the 95th percentile for its low unemployment rate and higher-than-average median household income. It’s full of Texas Hill Country charm, with scenic landscapes, rolling hills and natural attractions like Brushy Creek Regional Trail and Tumlinson Park.
2. Apex, North Carolina
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 7
Population: 65,091
Average Commute: 22 minutes
Median Home Price: $499,352
Median Monthly Rent: $1,448
Median Household Income: $136,194
Located in the North Carolina Research Triangle area, Apex has some of the nation’s best colleges, including North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Duke University and Wake Forest University. The city’s standout category is its job market, ranking No. 32 for its higher median household income compared with the national average and a short average commute of 22 minutes. It also ranks in the top 10% for college readiness and desirability for its low crime rates. Its historic downtown is filled with unique shops and restaurants and a vintage train depot built in 1867.
1. Johns Creek, Georgia
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 1
Population: 78,937
Average Commute: 26 minutes
Median Home Price: $528,234
Median Monthly Rent: $1,672
Median Household Income: $163,653
Taking the No. 1 spot on the Best Small Cities to Live and the overall Best Places to Live list in 2025-2026 is Johns Creek, Georgia. Johns Creek has built itself a reputation as the quintessential, sought-after American suburb. The city sits along the Chattahoochee River in the metro Atlanta area and was incorporated just two decades ago in 2006. It earned the No. 1 ranking for the safest city in America and ranks No. 13 for its job market. Although the cost of living here is higher, it offers more value than similarly sized cities. Johns Creek also took the No. 24 spot for quality of life for college readiness, thanks to its top-ranking public schools.
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The 15 Best Small Cities to Live in the U.S. in 2025-2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
