Top 5 Enchanting Small Towns in America for a Scenic Relocation

In recent years, there has been a mass exodus of Americans from major cities moving to regions with lower living costs due to relatively new remote work arrangements.

New Census data shows that this trend continues to grow.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs even found that fewer urban counties are experiencing faster house price appreciation than pre-pandemic levels.

Considering the above, we wanted to find the most charming US towns and cities to live in! To achieve this, we compared 161 small US locations across 22 relative indicators.

Read on to find out the five most charming towns across America!

Which small towns make up our top five?

1. Homer, AK

Homer came to the top of our list with a remarkable index score of 59.8 out of 100, contributed to by a huge 19.1/30 lifestyle and 10.6/15 rating for the community—the strongest respective scores of all analyzed locations for this metric.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Homer also has more educational establishments per 1,000 locals than any other location—11,428.

Another reason it might be worth moving to Homer is the below-average property prices ($654,500), which could soon rise if the area sees an influx of new residents from other nearby towns and cities.

This could also increase the local property appreciation rate (8%).

For a flavor of the area, Homer is a destination that benefits from the ocean and wilderness.

Touted as the halibut fishing capital of the world and the city of peonies, Homer offers an abundance of adventures, from its renowned fishing to creative museums and art galleries.

2. Petoskey, MI

Coming in second on our list of the most charming small towns to move to, Petoskey scores 59.7 out of 100.

This is helped along by the area’s notably affordable housing, which scores 16.5 out of 17.5 on our index.

In fact, the average property here costs under $600,000, though the appreciation rate currently sits at 24%—so now might be the time to buy before homes continue to shoot up in price!

Other positives of Petoskey include its low unemployment rate (1.1%) and below-average crime rate (5.9 per 1,000 residents).

If you’re almost sold on a move, it’s worth knowing that Petoskey enjoys a small-town vibe and is easily accessible to some of Michigan’s most picturesque and affluent waterfront communities.

3. Oxford, MS

Oxford came third on our list, with an index score of 52.7, helped along by the region’s recording a strong housing score (14.3 out of 17.5)—including property appreciation currently sitting around 16%.

Oxford is a young and upcoming town with an average resident age of 27.7—well below our list average of 45—and is set in the hills of North Mississippi and home to the state’s university.

Over the years, Oxford has attracted all manner of food lovers, and the ever-popular James Beard award-winning chef and five-restaurant owner John Currence calls it home.

Similarly, if you like a mix of southern history and small-town charm with a dash of conviviality, join the numerous creatives, musicians, and artists who find inspiration in this diverse city.

4. Madison, GA

Fourth on the list of the most charming small towns to move to in the US, Madison earns an index score of 52, thanks to its reasonably strong positioning across all analyzed categories.

This includes having an enviable 0% unemployment rate and an abundance of food and drink options per 1,000 people – 25,000, the second most on our list, behind only first-placed Homer.

Property here’s relatively affordable, too, with the average home costing just over $534,000, while the typical household income is a smidge short of $80,000.

Named ‘the prettiest small town in America’ and ‘one of the most picturesque towns in the world’, Madison’s Main Street and the nearby Village Green are ideal for anyone seeking a little European influence outside the Eurozone.

With stately older buildings and colorful storefronts, the town is adored for having a wonderfully preserved historic downtown with bustling independent restaurants and shops.

5. Marietta, OH

Rounding out our list of the five most charming places to move to is the Ohio college town of Marietta, which records a very reputable index score of 51.8.

Here, the average property is priced at just $264,900, meaning you don’t need to break the bank to relocate.

Though, as is the case with a few towns to make our list, now might be the best time to move, as homes are appreciating at a rate of 18%!

As for a bit about the area: abundant with history, brick streets, hardwood trees, and neoclassical Victorian houses, Marietta is widely regarded as one of the prettiest cities in the Midwest.

Which towns to consider for the cost of living and work?

Fish Creek, WI, takes top spot as the best small, charming town for affordable cost of living and reliable work—despite ranking 128th overall!

Which towns to consider for entertainment and amenities?

We have the Alaskan destination Homer, which ranks top for entertainment and amenities—both essentials for anyone moving to a new town.

Homer also ranks top overall, so it’s a little surprising it performs exceptionally here!

Which towns to consider for home affordability?

Home affordability is crucial for many Americans considering relocating, and you’ll find the best-value properties in Haddonfield, NJ.

Incidentally, Haddonfield also ranks 14th on our full list, so is a strong overall contender.

Which towns to consider for community, education, and healthcare?

Finally, the best town for community, education, and healthcare is a familiar one: Homer, AK, followed by Petoskey.

So, there we have it – the five most charming towns and cities across America for you to consider if you’re contemplating relocating.

Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t an abundance of stunning secret escapes across the states, with the likes of Abilene (KS), New Castle (DE), Hood River (OR), and Scottsbluff (NE) just missing out!

And with the help of our guide, you can take the luck out of finding your forever home. In the meantime, enjoy another slice of luck with our selection of casino games for lots of fun and bigger wins.

Methodology

To discover the most charming small towns in America you should move to, High 5 Casino compared 161 small U.S. cities/towns based on 22 relevant metrics.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the greatest small cities/towns.

To create the overall ranking, we established each city’s weighted average across the following metrics before summing them together to calculate a final indexed score:

Essentials (37.5%):
– (12.5%) Cost of Living Index Score: A score comparing the living expenses to the rest of the US, as per COLI.
Safety:
– (7.5%) Total Law Enforcement (per 1,000 of population): The total number of police officers employed in the area, as per CDE.
– (7.5%) Crime Rates (per 1,000 of population): The total number of crimes in a calendar year (2022) as per FBI (released September 2023).
Job Market:
– (5%) Median Household Income: The income the average household earns per annum, as per Census.
– (5%) Unemployment Rate: The percentage of the population which isn’t in employment, as per Census.
Lifestyle (30%):
– (5%) Entertainment Venues (per 1,000 of the population): The total number of art galleries, museums, theatres, and cinemas, as per AreaVibes.
– (5%) Access to Nature: Number of Parks (per 1,000 of the population): The total number of parks/green spaces, as per AreaVibes.
Amenities (as per AreaVibes):
– (5%) Bars and Restaurants (per 1,000 of the population)
– (2.5%) Gym/Fitness Facilities (per 1,000 of the population)
– (2.5%) Grocery Stores (per 1,000 of the population)
– (2.5%) Shopping Stores (per 1,000 of the population)
– (2.5%) Coffee Shops (per 1,000 of the population)
(5%) Climate- Average Annual Rainfall (Inches)
Housing (17.5%):
• (5%) Home Affordability: A score created by comparing average home listing prices to median incomes in the area.
• (2.5%) Home Appreciation Rates: Properties’ value has changed over the past year, according to Zillow.
• Housing Demand
o (5%) Average Hotness Rank (Over the Last 12 Months): The specified zip code hotness rank, compared to all other zip codes in the US, as per Realtor.com.
o (2.5%) Average Days on Market: The median number of days property listings spend on the market, as per Realtor.com.
o (2.5%) Average Page Views Per Listing: The number of views a property receives in the location divided by the count of views a typical property receives in the US, as per Realtor.com.
Community (15%):
• (5%) Population Density: The estimated population per square mile—the areas with a figure closest to 100 received the highest score.
• (5%) Number of Educational Facilities (per 1,000 per population): The number of schools in the area, as per AreaVibes.
• (2.5%) Access to Healthcare (per 1,000 of the population): The total number of hospitals, doctors, dentists, clinics, and pharmacies, as per AreaVibes.
• (2.5%) Median Average Age: The average age of residents in the location.
For our sample, we chose cities and towns that had been referenced in similar rankings. In total, six articles were referred to, with further locations being added to the list from discussions on Reddit.