Two Tennessee Towns Among the Best Small Cities in America

For nearly a third of Americans, the suburbs are where they prefer to call home while almost a quarter report loving the rural life. A happy medium may be found for many is smaller cities and two in Tennessee top the list of the best in the country.

A Look at Livability

The study, performed by WalletHub, looks at several factors including safety, affordability, and quality of life, and ranks the various aspects like median household income, rate of homeownership, population growth, and average commute time, among a group of 45 total metrics. Each metric was then graded on a point system of 1 - 100. From there they analyzed the numbers to rank the best small cities in the country.

Small-city life can be best for those who appreciate more wiggle room, fewer degrees of separation and shorter commutes, to name just a few of its advantages. Granted, these little urban areas demand some tradeoffs, too, such as fewer restaurant options or shorter business hours.

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The Best in the Nation

The cities that scored in the top 99 percentile are considered to be the best in the nation, according to WalletHub and two of those cities are located in Tennessee.

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 45 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita.

#3: Brentwood, Tennessee

Brentwood, Tennessee is one of the cities that ranked in the top 99%, taking the number three position on the list with a total score of 69.58 points. Brentwood is located just about 10 miles to the south of Nashville.

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#19: Franklin Tennessee

Taking the number 19 spot, and still in the top 99 percentile, is Franklin Tennessee. Franklin is found just about twenty miles south of Nashville.

Both cities offer a great deal to residents who choose to call them home and their close proximity to Nashville give them easy access to big-city amenities without the headache of big-city living.

To see what other small cities in America ranked among the best in the country, visit WalletHub.

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in Tennessee

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Tennessee using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.