Almost half of Americans, 47%, say they would rather live in the suburbs than in a big city or the countryside, according to figures cited in a new WalletHub report. Only 24% pick urban living. For people in that camp weighing where to settle, the report has a first choice: Lexington, Massachusetts.

WalletHub graded 1,318 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000, scoring each on 45 measures of cost, the local economy, schools and health, things to do, and safety. Lexington finished first with a score of 71.55 out of 100. Brookfield, Wisconsin, came in second at 71.24, and Carmel, Indiana, took third at 70.91.

Lexington did not win on price. It ranked 487th for affordability, closer to the middle of the pack than the front. Where the town pulled away was safety, where it placed fifth in the country, and education and health, where it placed third. Its lead was thin, too: only 0.31 points separated it from Brookfield.

• Lexington, Massachusetts, ranked as the best small city in America for 2026, scoring 71.55 out of 100 among 1,318 cities with 25,000 to 100,000 residents.
• Brookfield, Wisconsin (71.24), and Carmel, Indiana (70.91), finished second and third, and Lexington’s lead over Brookfield was just 0.31 points.
• Lexington’s strongest categories were safety and education and health, where it placed fifth and third, while it ranked 487th for affordability.
• Massachusetts placed six towns in the top 30 and Indiana placed five. WalletHub, a for-profit personal finance company, produced the ranking using data collected as of Sept. 1, 2026.

https://studyfinds.com/best-small-cities-america-2026-lexington-massachusetts/