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New York has a reputation for many things. Being aggressively nice isn’t usually near the top of the list. But one tiny Upstate village has apparently been too busy building wheelchair ramps, donating shoes and helping its neighbors to worry about that.
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Liverpool, a roughly one-square-mile village near Syracuse with about 2,600 residents, has been named Reader’s Digest’s Nicest Place in America for 2026. The magazine announced the honor in a story late last month, showcasing a community whose generosity travels well beyond its streets.
The annual contest, which launched in 2017, recognizes people making a difference in their communities. Readers submit nominations, which the magazine’s editorial team vets with help from a judging panel. This year’s judges included Today co-anchor Craig Melvin and Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom.
Liverpool’s case for the crown starts with Operation Northern Comfort. Founded in 2005 as Operation Southern Comfort, the nonprofit initially sent Central New York volunteers to Louisiana to help communities rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, it adopted its current name and turned those construction skills toward projects closer to home.
Today, volunteers primarily build ramps and lifts for residents with accessibility challenges. The organization completed 57 projects in 2025, while its annual crawfish festival in Syracuse’s Clinton Square raised $40,000 this year.
Then there’s Liverpool resident Ralph Rotella, who runs Discount Shoe Repair in downtown Syracuse. His shoe drive collected more than 45,000 pairs in 2025, bringing its total since 2011 to 300,000. The shoes go to the Syracuse Rescue Mission to help people who need them.
Reader’s Digest also highlighted the congregation at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, whose support helped a woman experiencing homelessness connect with an outreach organization and eventually move into an apartment.
The village has plenty of small-town appeal, too: Onondaga Lake Park, the longtime hot dog destination Heid’s of Liverpool and businesses with names like Knitty Gritty and Dead Ends. But the most convincing endorsement might be the everyday relationship between neighbors Simone McCarthy and Raiss Muya. She brings his family meals and groceries; he rebuilt a snow-damaged fence that protected her driveway.
McCarthy’s advice, as she told Reader’s Digest: “Just save your block.”
Come for the hot dogs and lake views; leave with a few ideas for being a better neighbor.