The 8 best small cities in America

The allure of life in a big city is fading for many Americans — 31% of whom say they would rather live in the suburbs than in a metropolis.

Many Americans are opting for living in smaller cities (or big towns) — interested in a taste of urbanism without having to cram into a tiny Manhattan studio apartment for thousands of dollars in rent each month.

“Moving from a bustling metropolis to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “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.”

WalletHub looked at more than 1,300 cities in the U.S. with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 to find the best ones. Besides affordability, the personal finance company considered factors such as economic health, education, quality of life, and safety.

These eight small cities received top marks, landing in the 99th percentile among their peers.