When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go downtown, or so says the Petula Clark song. And it seems that Petula Clark may have been ahead of her time in predicting future generations' infatuation with downtown life.
Walkable, vibrant, and bustling city centers have become prime real estate for many individuals looking for a more socially connected lifestyle. Not everyone has the means to live in New York City, Chicago, Or L.A., though. But that doesn’t mean the city living experience is available only to a select few. Small and midsize cities can have downtowns that are just as walkable, cultured, and packed with nightlife as their larger counterparts.
Realtor.com looked at more than 2,000 cities with populations under 350,000 in an effort to find the 10 best downtowns that are still affordable. Vacancy rates, the number of new developments going up, and the amount of people moving into the area were the main factors analyzed when compiling the list.
Not only did no state have more than one representative on the list, but even the regions were incredibly varied, meaning there are quality, affordable downtown areas just about everywhere in the country.
At the top of the list was Alexandria, Va., a city packed with history and charm. Other offerings include Greenville, S.C., Bellevue, Wash., Boise, Idaho, and Evanston, Ill.
These cities prove it isn’t necessary to have a population of a few million people, a couple of sports franchises, and to be featured in disaster movies to offer the city living so many people in today’s world desire.
