Life seems to move at a more serene pace in small towns, where you’ll find quaint businesses and plenty of charm. Living in a small town with a close-knit community, low cost of living, low crime rate and other benefits can foster a sense of happiness. If you’re looking for one of these idyllic destinations, The Travel has put together a list of the ten happiest small towns in the U.S.
To determine the happiest small town, The Travel looked at metrics such as household income, median property value, education, crime rate, and unemployment rate for towns with fewer than 8,000 residents. After crunching the numbers, the data reveals that White Rock, New Mexico, is the happiest small town in the U.S.
White Rock has a rural feel, close-knit community and abundant picturesque landscapes, according to The Travel. The town is surrounded by rolling hills and rock formations and offers easy access to the Jemez Mountains, where sweeping views of the area can be enjoyed from the Jemez Mountain Trail Scenic Byway. The town enjoys a low unemployment rate, a low poverty rate and a cost of living that is 3% lower than the national average.
Following White Rock on the top 10 happiest small towns list are, in order, Sugarcreek, Ohio; Tybee Island, Georgia; New Harmony, Indiana; Eureka Springs, Arkansas; Makanda, Illinois; Caribou, Maine; Apalachicola, Florida; Silverton, Colorado and Bisbee, Arizona. Read more about all these happy towns at thetravel.com.
