What makes a small town special? Is it the people, the small businesses, the unique events held on the town squares? A website went out to rank the best of the best small towns in the US, and here is the town they say is the best small town in the Land of Lincoln.

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According to Wallethub.com's ranking of 2022's Best Small Cities in America, Elmhurst, Illinois is the top-rated small city in Illinois. On the site WalletHub says...

"No two small cities are made equal, though, so which ones outshine the rest? To find out, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on 43 key indicators of livability."

Elmhurst, which is located just south of O'hare Airport in the suburbs of Chicago, was ranked in the 97th percentile, meaning it is in the top 3% of small cities in the US. Elmhurst scored really well on the site's rankings for Safety, Economic Health, and Affordability.

For our listeners on the Missouri side of the river, the top-ranked small city in the Show-Me State is Ballwin, Missouri. It ranks in the top 10% and is located in the suburbs of St. Louis.

For us here in the Tri-States Quincy ranks in the top 50% of cities in the US, and no other area cities made the list. To see the full list for yourself just click here!

I think these rankings seem fairly accurate but are definitely favoring cities that are suburbs of larger cities. Most of the list consists of suburbs, but maybe that means WalletHub is trying to tell us that suburban life is the best. Do you agree with the rankings?

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