Great Small American Cities to Live in

With homes in the metros of America becoming unaffordable for most people, it’s time to consider moving to the smaller cities. Here’s a list of the best small cities with a population of under 60,000 on the basis of demographic and other criteria.

Read on for details regarding the economy, housing scenario, and crime stats of each city.

1. Rowlett, Texas

This is a Dallas suburb. The median household income is 56% above the national average.

The crime rate is low at 42% below average and the residents sleep peacefully in homes costing 19% less than the U.S. average. You’ll find one home for every 164 persons in the city. Rowlett’s unemployment rate is 6.3% which is 12.5% below the average in the country.

2. Idaho Falls, Idaho

The city of Idaho Falls was called Eagle Rock till 1891. This city stands out with respect to the cost of living which is 12 points below average. This is above all the cities in the list. The crime rate is 5% lower than the average, and the median home price is 37% lower than the national average. There’s one marketable home for every 92 persons. The median household income is 13% below the nation’s average. The unemployment rate at 5.6% is 22% below the average in the country.

3. Cedar Park, Texas

Cedar Park near Austin has a lower crime rate than any of the small cities in my list - 51% below the nation’s average. The median home price is 30% above the U.S. average and the median household income is 34% above average. There’s one house up for sale for each group of 182 people, so it may be more difficult to find homes here than in other cities on the list. The employment rate is second-lowest at 28% below the average in the country.

4. Noblesville, IND.

Noblesville, near Indianapolis lies in the center of the nation’s Corn Belt. This small city has a crime rate 38% below average. This comes at a premium with the cost of living being 7 points above average. However, the median household income is also 27% above average. The median home price is 6% lower than the national average, and the market has one home per 84 people. As far as unemployment goes, it’s 11% below average at 6.4%.

5. Hendersonville, Tenn.

The Nashville, Tenn. suburb of Hendersonville has a median household income which is 18% above the national average. Cost of living is 8 points lower than the average. The crime scene is much lower, at 37% below the national average. Regarding housing, the median home price is 25% above average, and there’s one marketable home for every 101 people. Unemployment rate is 9.7% below average at 6.5%.

6. Mansfield, Texas

This is a Fort Worth suburb in Texas and is equidistant from Dallas. It’s possibly one of the most competitive real estate markets with one home up for sale for each group of 239 people. Prices of homes are 12% over the nation’s average. There’s a low crime rate at 43% below average and the cost of living is 3% above average. In Mansfield, the median household income is pretty good at 74% above average. There’s an impressive unemployment rate of 5.4% which is 25% below average. The median home price is 7% lower than the national average and on an average, for every 127 people, there’s one home up for sale.