America's Top-Rated Smaller Cities
America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities allows readers to see, at a glance, a concise social, business, economic, demographic, and environmental profile of many smaller cities, all top-ranked in Population Growth, Median Income, Unemployment Rate, and Crime Rate. This fourteenth edition offers current, concise statistical profiles of top U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The 2025/26 edition features 130 cities, 59 which are new to this edition, including 32 that have never been profiled.
There are many ways to research new places to live. The Internet can provide important details, like the cost of various lifestyles in various cities, and which schools are top rated, but only America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities gives readers a complete picture. We’ve done the extensive research necessary to compile comprehensive profiles and comparative statistics that will educate and prepare you—and your business—for relocation.
America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities is arranged in two volumes – Volume 1 has 73 city chapters, Alabama to Montana, and Volume 2 also has 59 city chapters, Nebraska to Wyoming. Each city chapter is divided into three sections: Background & Rankings; Business Environment; and Living Environment. Both volumes include 100 Honorable Mention Cities, five Maps that indicate the location of each of the 130 cities, and five Appendices, with comparative rankings and resource information on all the cities.
Each of the 130 city chapters begins with an informative city background. These combine history with current events, and touch on the city’s environment, politics, employment, and cultural offerings, along with some interesting trivia.
The rankings section has 17 ranking categories, including Business/Finance, Health, Women/Minorities, Retirement, Family, Safety, Sports/Recreation, and Dating/Romance. It contains data from 207 books, articles, and research reports, and is presented in an easy-to-read, bulleted format. You’ll find rankings-and several scores and figures-on a wide variety of topics, such as Best Places for Business and Careers, Fastest-Growing Cities, Cleanest Metro Areas, Most Affordable Cities, Fittest Cities, Most Educational Cities, and hundreds more.
Business Environment-Statistical Tables include 40 tables with business related data for seven topics. Over 95% of statistical data has been updated. Here is where you will find hard facts and figures on city finances, population demographics, income, bankruptcy rates, employment, and taxes. The business tables are followed by 39 Living Environment-Statistical Tables with data related to nine living environment topics. These include information on housing, healthcare, cost-of-living, education, air quality, and climate.
Also included in this new edition are five Appendices:
- Comparative Statistics
- Metropolitan Area Definitions
- Government Type & Primary County
- Chamber of Commerce
- State Departments of Labor
America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities offers a reliable, one-stop source for statistical data that, before now, could only be found scattered in hundreds of sources. This outstanding source of information will be widely used in any reference collection.
Below are the listed cities.
Daphne, AL
Hoover, AL (New)
Madison, AL
Vestavia Hills, AL
Juneau, AK
Oro Valley, AZ
Queen Creek, AZ (New)
Bella Vista, AR (New)
Bentonville, AR
Aliso Viejo, CA
Chino Hills, CA
Cupertino, CA (New)
Danville, CA (New)
Encinitas, CA (New)
Lincoln, CA (New)
Los Altos, CA (New)
Moorpark, CA
Poway, CA
San Ramon, CA
Windsor, CA (New)
Yorba Linda, CA (New)
Castle Rock, CO
Erie, CO (New)
Windsor, CO
Farmington, CT (New)
Glastonbury, CT (New)
Greenwich, CT (New)
Wallingford, CT (New)
Westport, CT (New)
Newark, DE
Dunedin, FL (New)
New Smyrna Beach, FL (New)
Oviedo, FL
Parkland, FL
Wellington, FL (New)
West Melbourne, FL (New)
Weston, FL (New)
Johns Creek, GA (New)
Milton, GA
Pooler, GA (New)
Rexburg, ID
Edwardsville, IL
New Lenox, IL (New)
Plainfield, IL
Columbus, IN (New)
Westfield, IN
Zionsville, IN
Bettendorf, IA
Marion, IA
Waukee, IA (New)
Leawood, KS
Independence, KY
Central, LA
South Portland, ME (New)
Rockville, MD (New)
Shrewsbury, MA
Wellesley, MA (New)
Midland, MI
Northville, MI
Rosemount, MN
Madison, MS
O’Fallon, MO (New)
Bozeman, MT
Bellevue, NE
Norfolk, NE (New)
Londonderry, NH
Merrimack, NH
Hillsborough, NJ (New)
Princeton, NJ
Ridgewood, NJ
Voorhees, NJ (New)
Get FREE ONLINE ACCESS With Your Print Purchase!
Buyers of America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities, Two-Volume Set get two years of FREE access to Top-Rated Smaller Cities Online. Here, users can download city reports, sort & rank cities by over 50 different data points and access customized ranking tables. Online access makes nationwide city-by-city comparisons quick and easy.
