A recent WalletHub report analyzed small cities across the United States in an effort to determine which were the best to live in, with one region garnering plenty of recognition.
The report looked at over 1,300 cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000, analyzing cost of living, school systems, nearby attractions, average commute time and local unemployment rate.
Though no Illinois cities made their way into the top 10, the list's top spot and half of the top 10 were occupied by Midwestern cities.
Topping the list was Indianapolis suburb Carmel, Indiana, ranking highly in terms of health and safety along with a low pedestrian fatality rate and low violent crime rate.
Owing to unemployment and poverty rates hovering at around 3 percent, Brookfield, Wisconsin was named as the runner-up on the WalletHub ranking.
Rounding out the top three was Lexington, Massachusetts, the highest-ranked city outside of the American Midwest. Lexington's placement was due to its low property crime rate, low traffic fatalities and high median annual household income.
Here's a look at the full top 10:
- Carmel, Indiana
- Brookfield, Wisconsin
- Lexington, Massachusetts
- Fishers, Indiana
- Appleton, Wisconsin
- Apex, North Carolina
- Brentwood, Tennessee
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Bozeman, Montana
- Westfield, Indiana
The highest ranking Illinois city was Downers Grove, which came in at No. 18, ranking especially high in safety and public health.
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More information on the methodology used and where other cities stood can be found here.
