Where Does Beverly Rank in Latest List of Best Small Cities in America?

By CHARLENE ARSENAULT (Patch Staff)

Massachusetts is home to several of the “best” small cities in the country, and some that rank near the ”worst.”

That’s according to a study recently conducted by WalletHub. The personal finance website conducted an in-depth analysis of more than 1,000 cities with a population between 25,000 and 100,000 for its 2015’s Best & Worst Small Cities in America report.

WalletHub evaluated the cities using a data set of 22 key metrics that ranged from housing costs to school-system quality to the number of restaurants per capita.

Small cities are experiencing a growth rate that is more than twice that of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago and roughly 10 percent faster than the national rate since 2000, according to WalletHub.

Princeton, NJ, topped the national list, followed by Littleton, CO, Dublin, OH, Brookfield, WI and Leawood, KS. California cities dominated the “worst,” with Huntington Park and Bell at the bottom three of the list.

Several Massachusetts cities ranked highly in the list, while some fared toward the “worst” end of the list. Northampton, Milton and Lexington ranked in the top 30, while New Bedford, Holyoke and Fall River ranked after 1,000 in the list.

Beverly ranked at number 316, slightly behind Wakefield and a few notches in front of neighboring Salem. Beverly ranked high in the categories of education and health and quality of life.

The following is a list of Massachusetts cities that ranked, and their rankings, in the national list:

8. Northampton
14. Milton
26. Lexington
105. Wellesley
143. Somerville
150. Melrose
165. Newton
171. Needham
206. Woburn
222. Westfield
297. Norwood
307. Wakefield
316. Beverly
319. Salem
331. Medford
359. Brookline
364. Attleboro
366. Arlington
395. Leominster
407. Marlborough
440. Quincy
470. Pittsfield
477. Chicopee
510. Framingham
571. Everett
610. Peabody
641. Fitchburg
687. Haverhill
730. Malden
898. Taunton
1012. Brockton
1104. New Bedford
1106. Holyoke
1132. Fall River

Compare the survey’s rankings in affordability, economic health, education and health and quality of life here.

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