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Burlington Ranks In Top 20 Small Cities in America

The Town of Burlington ranked as the 18th best ‘small-city’ in a research study done by WalletHub, a personal finance website. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a number of urban residents migrate away from cities in part for greater social distance, decreased living costs and shorter commutes creating an increase in small-city populations. 

WalletHub’s study compared 1,322 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on key indicators like livability, affordability, economic health and the quality of the school-system. 

The investigation evaluated the most favorable conditions for small-city residents through a metrics system based on factors like income and job growth, high school graduation rates and crime rates. Burlington’s reputation as a foodie destination certainly helped in the restaurants per capita category. The percentage of fully vaccinated residents was also taken into account. Neighboring communities like Lexington, Reading, Arlington and Melrose were also ranked in the top 20.  

During the pandemic, most office workers were able to pivot to working from home with virtual interaction. The question of whether these workers will remain remote, become hybrid or return to the workplace and its effect on small-city habitation remains to be fully determined. 

Click here to view the full study.