Nampa Idaho tops the list. Look what's at the bottom.
wallethub.com
The past year has been a true test of the effectiveness of local leadership. City leaders have had to deal with economic difficulties like high inflation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other issues like elevated homicide rates.
Even during less difficult times, running a city is a tall order. The larger the city, the more complex it becomes to manage. In addition to representing the residents, local leaders must balance the public’s diverse interests with the city’s limited resources. That often means not everyone’s needs can or will be met. Leaders must carefully consider which services are most essential, which agencies’ budgets to cut or boost, and whether and how much to raise taxes, among other decisions.
Best-Run Cities in America
Overall Rank* | City | Quality of City Services | Total Budget per Capita |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Nampa, ID | 34 | 1 |
2 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 42 | 2 |
3 | Nashua, NH | 4 | 11 |
4 | Boise, ID | 9 | 7 |
5 | Provo, UT | 6 | 21 |
6 | Lincoln, NE | 22 | 17 |
7 | Fort Wayne, IN | 65 | 5 |
8 | Sioux Falls, SD | 27 | 18 |
9 | Las Cruces, NM | 61 | 10 |
10 | Missoula, MT | 62 | 12 |
11 | Oklahoma City, OK | 74 | 8 |
12 | Warwick, RI | 32 | 23 |
13 | Manchester, NH | 47 | 20 |
14 | Durham, NC | 30 | 24 |
15 | Wichita, KS | 123 | 4 |
16 | Rapid City, SD | 98 | 9 |
17 | Bismarck, ND | 25 | 29 |
18 | Baton Rouge, LA | 135 | 3 |
19 | Raleigh, NC | 13 | 39 |
20 | Chesapeake, VA | 10 | 42 |
21 | Huntington Beach, CA | 1 | 56 |
22 | Virginia Beach, VA | 3 | 49 |
23 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 28 | 35 |
24 | Billings, MT | 101 | 15 |
25 | Aurora, IL | 23 | 37 |
26 | Mesa, AZ | 39 | 30 |
27 | Albuquerque, NM | 111 | 16 |
28 | Grand Rapids, MI | 24 | 40 |
29 | Columbus, GA | 118 | 14 |
30 | Tucson, AZ | 95 | 22 |
31 | Lewiston, ME | 50 | 34 |
32 | Warren, MI | 73 | 26 |
33 | Madison, WI | 14 | 48 |
34 | Huntington, WV | 115 | 19 |
35 | Greensboro, NC | 66 | 32 |
36 | Mobile, AL | 108 | 25 |
37 | Worcester, MA | 41 | 45 |
38 | St. Petersburg, FL | 18 | 59 |
39 | Topeka, KS | 106 | 27 |
40 | Phoenix, AZ | 46 | 46 |
41 | Bridgeport, CT | 92 | 36 |
42 | Louisville, KY | 99 | 33 |
43 | Portland, ME | 5 | 78 |
44 | Fargo, ND | 31 | 58 |
45 | Tulsa, OK | 110 | 28 |
46 | Salem, OR | 44 | 54 |
47 | Fairbanks, AK | 105 | 38 |
48 | El Paso, TX | 45 | 63 |
49 | Colorado Springs, CO | 60 | 55 |
50 | Corpus Christi, TX | 88 | 43 |
51 | Eugene, OR | 38 | 72 |
52 | Hialeah, FL | 15 | 85 |
53 | Reno, NV | 58 | 66 |
54 | Fort Worth, TX | 89 | 50 |
55 | Providence, RI | 94 | 47 |
56 | San Diego, CA | 7 | 100 |
57 | Jacksonville, FL | 71 | 60 |
58 | Casper, WY | 72 | 61 |
59 | Aurora, CO | 70 | 68 |
60 | Little Rock, AR | 124 | 41 |
61 | Rutland, VT | 69 | 69 |
62 | Gary, IN | 147 | 6 |
63 | Boston, MA | 20 | 99 |
64 | Omaha, NE | 51 | 76 |
65 | Las Vegas, NV | 37 | 87 |
66 | Tallahassee, FL | 80 | 71 |
67 | Spokane, WA | 52 | 79 |
68 | Anchorage, AK | 104 | 57 |
69 | Fort Smith, AR | 138 | 31 |
70 | Miami, FL | 36 | 94 |
71 | Santa Ana, CA | 48 | 88 |
72 | Springfield, MA | 120 | 51 |
73 | Des Moines, IA | 67 | 80 |
74 | Frederick, MD | 8 | 111 |
75 | Arlington, TX | 57 | 84 |
76 | Charleston, SC | 29 | 101 |
77 | Columbia, SC | 114 | 65 |
78 | Fremont, CA | 2 | 120 |
79 | Dover, DE | 81 | 77 |
80 | Akron, OH | 117 | 63 |
81 | Tampa, FL | 21 | 106 |
82 | Jackson, MS | 148 | 13 |
83 | Norfolk, VA | 107 | 74 |
84 | Garland, TX | 64 | 91 |
85 | Houston, TX | 112 | 73 |
86 | Richmond, VA | 84 | 81 |
87 | Montgomery, AL | 128 | 52 |
88 | Portland, OR | 19 | 113 |
89 | Indianapolis, IN | 91 | 82 |
90 | San Antonio, TX | 43 | 102 |
91 | St. Paul, MN | 77 | 98 |
92 | Columbus, OH | 90 | 90 |
93 | Orlando, FL | 26 | 116 |
94 | Milwaukee, WI | 130 | 62 |
95 | Austin, TX | 16 | 127 |
96 | Minneapolis, MN | 49 | 110 |
97 | Burlington, VT | 55 | 107 |
98 | Dallas, TX | 102 | 95 |
99 | Anaheim, CA | 68 | 104 |
100 | St. Louis, MO | 141 | 53 |
101 | Shreveport, LA | 146 | 43 |
102 | Kansas City, MO | 125 | 86 |
103 | Dayton, OH | 116 | 97 |
104 | San Jose, CA | 17 | 131 |
105 | Wilmington, DE | 82 | 108 |
106 | Birmingham, AL | 132 | 75 |
107 | Lubbock, TX | 119 | 93 |
108 | Cincinnati, OH | 85 | 105 |
109 | Atlanta, GA | 78 | 114 |
110 | Bakersfield, CA | 122 | 96 |
111 | Charleston, WV | 126 | 92 |
112 | Toledo, OH | 142 | 70 |
113 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 56 | 124 |
114 | New Orleans, LA | 136 | 83 |
115 | Seattle, WA | 11 | 138 |
116 | Modesto, CA | 103 | 115 |
117 | Pittsburgh, PA | 54 | 130 |
118 | Fresno, CA | 113 | 112 |
119 | Buffalo, NY | 109 | 117 |
120 | Sacramento, CA | 92 | 125 |
121 | Stockton, CA | 139 | 89 |
122 | Knoxville, TN | 79 | 128 |
123 | Syracuse, NY | 97 | 123 |
124 | Charlotte, NC | 40 | 134 |
125 | Nashville, TN | 121 | 118 |
126 | New Haven, CT | 131 | 103 |
127 | Cheyenne, WY | 83 | 132 |
128 | Los Angeles, CA | 59 | 139 |
129 | Long Beach, CA | 75 | 136 |
130 | Rochester, NY | 86 | 135 |
131 | Salt Lake City, UT | 33 | 144 |
132 | Baltimore, MD | 133 | 122 |
133 | Riverside, CA | 87 | 137 |
134 | Philadelphia, PA | 127 | 129 |
135 | Denver, CO | 63 | 142 |
136 | Memphis, TN | 143 | 109 |
137 | Yonkers, NY | 53 | 143 |
138 | Chicago, IL | 134 | 126 |
139 | Kansas City, KS | 140 | 121 |
140 | Detroit, MI | 149 | 67 |
141 | Tacoma, WA | 100 | 141 |
142 | Hartford, CT | 145 | 119 |
143 | Oakland, CA | 76 | 147 |
144 | Gulfport, MS | 96 | 145 |
145 | Flint, MI | 144 | 133 |
146 | Cleveland, OH | 137 | 140 |
147 | New York, NY | 35 | 148 |
148 | Chattanooga, TN | 129 | 146 |
149 | San Francisco, CA | 12 | 149 |
