How Fredericksburg Ranks Among Best Small Cities In America

A new study from WalletHub graded the best small cities in America, and Fredericksburg made the cut. WalletHub, a personal finance site, released its 2019 Best Small Cities in America list this week, which only included metros with populations between 25,000 and 100,000.

The list compared more than 1,200 cities across the nation based on 42 key indicators of liveability, 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.

Fredericksburg fared well in a few categories, such as quality of life and economic health, earning it a spot in the 78th percentile overall for best small cities in the United States.

Here are some rankings earned by the city, according to the list:

• Total Score: 63.5
• Affordability: 1,106
• Economic Health: 305
• Education & Health: 565
• Quality of Life: 23
• Safety: 816

Fredericksburg was founded in 1728, and as of July 2018, the population of the city was 29,144.
Located on the Rappahannock River, the city is known for its colonial and Civil War history, and is home to four Civil War battlefields. Located approximately 50 miles from both RIchmond and Washington D.C., the city has long been known as an important center for industry and commerce.

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:

1. Leawood, Kansas: 71.98
2. Brentwood, Tennessee: 71.53
3. Sammamish, Washington: 71.34
4. Melrose, Massachusetts: 70.7
5. Carmel, Indiana: 70.59
6. Lexington, Massachusetts: 70.55
7. Milton, Massachusetts: 70.46
8. Brookfield, Wisconsin: 70.38
9. Fair Lawn, New Jersey: 70.25
10. Cedar Park, Texas: 69.98

Patch editor Gus Saltonstall contributed to this article.