The Best State Capitals To Call Home

As you may remember from grade school, Boise, Bismarck, Lincoln, and Concord are all state capitals. They are also all great places to live.

WalletHub ranked the 50 state capitals based on factors such as affordability, economic well-being, and qualities of life, education, and health.

The ever-popular Austin, Texas, ranked first. Other top cities range from big metros, including Salt Lake City and Denver, to mid-market cities such as Raleigh, N.C., and Madison, Wis., to small towns like Montpelier, Vt. and Pierre, S.D.

Along with Madison, Realtor.com notes that Midwestern cities such as Columbus, Des Moines, Iowa, St. Paul, Minn., and Springfield, Ill., all finished in the top 20.

The Midwestern states ranked highly due to their strong health care and school systems, Gonzalez says. “The cities near the top of the list are tapping into the local college [and] university graduates to stay put and be motivated to open up shop right there,” says Gonzalez of those cities’ bustling economies. And “a lot of them have industries that are very different, but are each thriving.”