America’s most livable small towns have been revealed, with residents praising the affordable housing, plentiful jobs and spacious lifestyle.
The rankings are compiled taking into account additional factors such as travel times, health insurance and amenities.
Troy, Michigan, came out on top, according to a SmartAsset survey of 281 small cities.
The city of 87,000 offers the most affordable housing relative to income, with housing costs averaging 15.0% of the median household income of $109,444.
In second place is Rochester Hills, also in Michigan, where only 3.6 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to the national average of 11.3 percent.
Troy, Michigan was named America’s most livable city thanks to its affordable housing
In addition, unemployment is low and almost all residents have health insurance.
Franklin, Tennessee and Redmond Washington rounded out the top five, with Franklin having a relatively high percentage of companies in the arts, entertainment and leisure sectors.
Redmond, on the other hand, has short commutes and reasonable housing costs, which are less than 20 percent of income.
“Small towns can offer cost advantages for residents who want to increase their income while enjoying a comfortable – and more spacious – lifestyle,” says Certified Financial Planner and Managing Editor at Smart Asset
Although livability is a subjective concept that can mean different things to different people, some elements of a community can be almost universally beneficial.
In second place is Rochester Hills, where only 3.6 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to the national average of 1.3 percent.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, took third place, thanks in part to its short commute of just under 16 minutes
To determine the results, the researchers compared 281 cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000 people based on several criteria.
This included housing costs as a percentage of household income, poverty and unemployment rates, the percentage of residents with health insurance, average travel times and business offers.
According to the study, three Midwestern states dominate the top ten.
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota have the most livable cities.
Appleton, Wisconsin, Plymouth, Minnesota, Livonia, Michigan, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, also rank in the top 10.
Lakeville, Minnesota, ranks 15th in overall livability and has the lowest rate of residents living below the poverty line at 2.3 percent.
Franklin, Tennessee at number four has a relatively high percentage of arts, entertainment and leisure businesses
Residents of Redmond, Washington enjoy short commutes and reasonable housing costs, which are less than 20 percent of income
Palo Alto, California is known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley and has one of the highest median household incomes on the list
In Champaign, Illinois, the travel time is the shortest: just 13 minutes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for the birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, California has one of the highest median household incomes at $179,707.
This, plus a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and arts and recreation businesses, make the Golden State city one of the most livable in the country.
Immediately following Palo Alto was West Des Moines, Iowa, a city of just over 70,000 people.
Housing costs are approximately $1,277 per month, which is 17.9 percent of income.