Economy

Considering a Pandemic Move? These Are the Top Small Cities in 2020

Paul Ausick

Published: November 4, 2020 9:13 am

In the early part of the summer, there was a lot of talk and news coverage about the number of Americans who were fleeing large cities and moving to less densely populated parts of the country to avoid contracting COVID-19. That’s all it was, though, talk.

According to a June survey from Pew Research, just 3% of Americans moved either permanently or temporarily due to the pandemic. Another 6% said someone moved into their household, and a further 14% said they knew someone who moved.

Americans are still making plans to move, however, and in far bigger numbers. A survey published late last month by freelancing platform Upwork reported that up to 23 million Americans plan to relocate to a different city.

The big reason, according to Adam Ozimek, Upwork’s chief economist, is that “many people see remote work as an opportunity to relocate to where they want and where they can afford to live.”

Slightly more than a fifth of Americans planning to move will depart the nation’s big cities and more than half plan to move to a home that is significantly less expensive than their current home. Those least likely to move live in rural areas (5.7%) or small cities, towns and suburbs (6.7%).

Which small cities are the best for Americans who are looking to change their zip codes? Analysts at personal finance website WalletHub looked at more than 1,200 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 and ranked them based on affordability, the local economy, education, health, quality of life and safety.

Analyst Jill Gonzalez of WalletHub noted, these cities also have low numbers of people who live in poverty or poor health. She continued, “Another thing the top small towns have in common is the fact that they are very safe, which makes them great places to live in.”

A word to the wise: among the 20 highest-ranked small cities, all but one had a median home price “well above” the U.S. median of $350,000. Five of the cities had median home prices north of $1 million.

Here’s WalletHub’s 2020 list of the 20 best small cities in the United States along with the median home price for the city.

1. Sammamish, Washington: $1,290,050
2. Lexington, Massachusetts: $2,124,550
3. Carmel, Indiana: $525,050
4. Needham, Massachusetts: $1,399,050
5. Sugar Land, Texas: $423,800
6. Milton, Massachusetts: $832,050
7. Brentwood, Tennessee: $1,117,50
8. Southlake, Texas: $1,000,050
9. Cedar Park, Texas: $399,000
10. Redmond, Washington: $888,450
11. Leawood, Kansas: $654,550
12. Dublin, Ohio: $529,050
13. Arlington, Massachusetts: $838,750
14. Princeton, New Jersey: $669,550
15. Castle Rock, Colorado: $626,600
16. Westfield, Indiana: $415,050
17. Wheaton, Illinois: $429,550
18. Kaysville, Utah: $549,950
19. Mason, Ohio: $557,450
20. Fishers, Indiana: $349,950