Which State Has the Best Mid-Size City?

Homebuyers may want to find their way west, according to a survey by SmartAsset. Ranked by factors such as cost of living, home value, and poverty rate, only one East Coast state made the top 25, while cities in the Midwest and West dominated the list. Read on to find out the complete list.

Because the cost of living tends to correlate with population size, mid-sized cities are often more affordable alternatives to large cities and potentially offer better opportunities to save and invest. Your salary can go a lot further when your costs are lower, so people who use a cost-of-living calculator to compare expenses between cities may gravitate away from major metropolises.

In this study, we assess and rank the affordability and livability of mid-sized cities in the U.S. by looking at a variety of economic factors. Like in last year’s study, we identified mid-sized cities in America as those with populations above 100,000, excluding the 100 largest cities in the country. For more information on data sources and how we put together our final rankings, check out the Data and Methodology section below.

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