A study recently looked to determine the best small cities across the country, and one Middle Tennessee community ranked among the top 1%.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee may be known for its tourist hotspots and nightlife in big cities like Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis. However, some folks prefer to live in areas with a small city charm.
In fact, WalletHub found that almost 31% of Americans would rather live in the suburbs over big cities. To find out where the best small cities are located in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 1,300 cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 people.
The study then compared the cities based on 45 key indicators, which range from housing costs, school-system quality, and even the number of restaurants per capita.
According to WalletHub, Brentwood, located in Williamson County, ranked in the top 1% of small cities in America.
The Middle Tennessee city received its best score in Economic Health (58) and ranked low in Quality of Life (385).
Data revealed that Franklin and Spring Hill weren’t too far behind, ranking both in the 98th percentile of small cities.
WalletHub reported that Spring Hill ranked highest in Economic Health (5) above both Middle Tennessee cities. Meanwhile, Franklin had the lowest affordability score (482) compared to Spring Hill and Brentwood.
More than a dozen Middle Tennessee cities made the 2024 list of the Best Small Cities, with the 99th percentile representing the top 1%. Here’s how they ranked:
Top 50th Percentile
RankCity Total Score99Brentwood69.5498Franklin67.9398Spring Hill66.5283Mount Juliet63.3472Hendersonville61.4963Maryville59.8857Gallatin58.7550 Lebanon 57.88
Bottom 50th percentile
RankCity Total Score44Smyrna57.0843Germantown56.940La Vergne56.540Columbia56.4936Cookeville55.7332Oak Ridge55.0825Bristol53.8818Kingsport52.458Morristown49.717Jackson49.156Bartlett48.8
“Moving from a bustling metropolis to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living. 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,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
Carmel, Indiana was named the best small city to live in due to its “strong economic factors,” according to the study. In fact, analysts said the city has one the of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and boasts a median 775 credit score, which is the 18-highest in the country.
To view the full ranking and see other cities fared, click here.