Ready to Experience the Small Town Life? Here Are the Best Small Towns for Families Across All 50 States

Many people have an idealized view of small towns. The charm of sipping coffee in a cozy cafe or strolling down a familiar street with your kids in tow, exchanging greetings with your neighbors, is a romantic notion for many. For those folks coming from large cities, the peaceful appeal of a quaint small town can be hard to resist. If you're looking for a break from the noise and bustle of city life, then look no further. Here are the best small towns for families in every state. (Read 50 Affordable Cities to Buy a Home.)

A small town is often considered to have a population of 10,000 or less. Additionally, a suburb of a larger city can be considered a small town if its population is less than 10,000. According to the Census Bureau, three-fourths of incorporated places (or places considered a city or town) have a population of 5,000 or less.

To create a list of the top-rated small towns in every state, Moms Who Think consulted Niche.com. From there, we narrowed down the top-rated places in America by town. After researching each state's top-rated towns, we looked for the top-rated towns with less than 10,000 in population. Additionally, included in the list are the rankings for the best places to live in America and each town's grade rating.

This post was updated on May 6, 2025, to include the overall Niche grade and updated data for each town.

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Suburbs to Buy a House in the State: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Housing
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,939

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #3
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Outdoor Activities, Health & Fitness
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 6,523

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Suburbs to Buy a House in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Housing
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 9,039

• Best Places to Raise a Family in State Ranking: #2
• Best Surburbs to Live in the State Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 5,778

• Best Places to Live in America Ranking: #986
• Best Places to Raise a Family in Area Ranking: #6
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,441

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 2,652

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #5
• Best Places to Buy a House in Suburbs Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 2,851

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Suburbs to Buy a House in State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,185

• Best Places to Live in America Ranking: #300
• Best Suburbs to Live in the Area Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,033

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #16
• Best Places to Live in the County Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,803

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Families and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A-
• Population: 2,288

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #16
• Best Places to Buy a House in State Ranking: #3
• Grade A Ranking For: Housing
• Overall Niche Grade: B+
• Population: 5,251

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Places to Raise a Family in America Ranking: #6
• Grade A Ranking For: Families, Public Schools, and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,642

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #13
• Best Places to Live in the County Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 5,073

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 1,232

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #5
• Best Suburbs to Live in the State Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 1,851

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #4
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 3,155

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #11
• Best Places to Buy a House in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Housing, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 4,139

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Crime and Safety, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 9,547

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #4
• Best Places to Raise a Family in America Ranking: #44
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,057

• Best Places to Live in America Ranking: #399
• Best Places to Live in the County Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,463

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #10
• Best Places to Buy a House in the Area Ranking: #4
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 6,322

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #7
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, Diversity, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 5,232

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #6
• Best Places to Live in the County Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 5,942

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #8
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,151

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #3
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: B+
• Population: 8,422

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #5
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #5
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 5,207

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Families, Public Schools, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 9,152

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 5,697

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Families, Diversity, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 4,234

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 5,568

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #21
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,503

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #5
• Best Places to Buy a House in the Area Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 9,696

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Buy a House in America Ranking: #8
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, and Families
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 2,266

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Places with the Best Public Schools in the State Ranking: #2
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, Crime and Safety, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 3,493

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #3
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 3,810

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #24
• Best Suburbs to Live in the State Ranking: #4
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 8,515

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Raise a Family in America Ranking: #1
• Grade A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 5,428

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #17
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #4
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A-
• Population: 6,560

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #12
• Best Places to Live in the Area Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 3,498

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Suburbs to Live in the State Ranking: #2
• A Ranking For: Housing, Families, and Jobs
• Overall Niche Grade: A-
• Population: 6,339

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #9
• A Ranking For: Housing, Families, and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,833

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #19
• Best Places to Live in the Surrounding Area Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 7,417

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #11
• Best Places to Live in the County Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A
• Population: 8,379

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Places with the Best Public Schools in the State Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 3,620

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #11
• Best Suburb to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, Nightlife, and Diversity
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 8,699

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #3
• Places with the Best Public Schools in the State Ranking: #3
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Families, and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 1,192

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #2
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 1,894

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Live in the State Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Public Schools, Housing, Families, Crime and Safety, and Nightlife
• Overall Niche Grade: A+
• Population: 2,142

• Best Places to Raise a Family in the State Ranking: #1
• Best Places to Buy a House in the State Ranking: #1
• A Ranking For: Housing and Crime and Safety
• Overall Niche Grade: A-
• Population: 2,788

The top-rated small towns on this list are perfect to visit. Take a stroll down a quiet street, sip some delicious coffee in a quiet coffee shop, and get to know the small-town families in these towns. Who knows, you may decide to pick up and move to one of these top-rated towns. (Read 22 Historic Neighborhoods Where Houses are Less Than 100,00.)