Kids & Family
CT Has 22 Of The Best Small Cities In United States For 2019
A new study from WalletHub confirmed what we already knew: Our state has some of the best small cities in the nation.
Connecticut has its fair share of fantastic smaller urban areas and a new report validates that statement. Personal finance site WalletHub released its 2019 Best Small Cities in America, which only included metros with populations between 25,000 and 100,000.
Connecticut had 22 small cities make the overall rankings. Here are the rankings in order of how WalletHub compiled them. Westport was No. 1 for Connecticut and New Britain was No. 22.
1. Westport
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- Total Score: 68.29
- Affordability: 483
- Economic Health: 101
- Education & Health: 18
- Quality of Life: 662
- Safety: 45
2. Shelton
- Total Score: 67.36
- Affordability: 290
- Economic Health: 274
- Education & Health: 35
- Quality of Life: 974
- Safety: 46
3. Wethersfield
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- Total Score: 64.36
- Affordability: 199
- Economic Health: 604
- Education & Health: 192
- Quality of Life: 865
- Safety: 237
4. West Hartford
- Total Score: 64.21
- Affordability: 243
- Economic Health: 243
- Education & Health: 168
- Quality of Life: 459
- Safety: 479
5. Stratford
- Total Score: 64
- Affordability: 589
- Economic Health: 624
- Education & Health: 49
- Quality of Life: 883
- Safety: 303
6. Trumbull
- Total Score: 63.87
- Affordability: 147
- Economic Health: 563
- Education & Health: 31
- Quality of Life: 1,150
- Safety: 389
7. Newington
- Total Score: 63.66
- Affordability: 183
- Economic Health: 499
- Education & Health: 209
- Quality of Life: 807
- Safety: 445
8. Torrington
- Total Score: 63.5
- Affordability: 440
- Economic Health: 495
- Education & Health: 78
- Quality of Life: 717
- Safety: 382
9. Bristol
- Total Score: 63.31
- Affordability: 416
- Economic Health: 568
- Education & Health: 235
- Quality of Life: 799
- Safety: 282
10. Middletown
- Total Score: 63.06
- Affordability: 716
- Economic Health: 721
- Education & Health: 37
- Quality of Life: 598
- Safety: 274
These other Connecticut communities also made the list and this is the overall score they received:
11. Norwalk, 62.87
12. Danbury, 62.47
13. Milford, 62.12
14. Manchester, 62.1
15. Naugatuck, 61.8
16. Meriden, 61
17. Norwich, 60.2
18. East Haven, 58.96
19. West Haven, 58
20. East Hartford, 57.75
21. New London, 56.6
22. New Britain, 55.2
The list compared more than 1,200 cities across the nation based on 42 key indicators of livability, including home ownership rate, the number of performing arts centers in the area, job growth and more.
Each relevant metric was listed with its corresponding weight and the cities were subsequently graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the maximum small city experience.
Leawood, Kansas ranked as the best small city in the nation, according to WalletHub, followed by Brentwood, Tennessee and Sammamish, Washington.
Bessemer, Alabama finished as the worst small city in the United States.
“Small-city life can be best for those who appreciate more wiggle room, fewer degrees of separation and shorter commutes, to name just a few advantages,” authors of the WalletHub study said.
Here are the top 10 overall small cities in the country:
- Leawood, Kansas: 71.98
- Brentwood, Tennessee: 71.53
- Sammamish, Washington: 71.34
- Melrose, Massachusetts: 70.7
- Carmel, Indiana: 70.59
- Lexington, Massachusetts: 70.55
- Milton, Massachusetts: 70.46
- Brookfield, Wisconsin: 70.38
- Fair Lawn, New Jersey: 70.25
- Cedar Park, Texas: 69.98
Patch editor Gus Saltonstall contributed to this article.
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