Every single town and city in USA has its own flavor. Each one presents a microcosm of community and character to the world, based on innumerable factors, with location, history and heritage all playing some of the most essential roles. When this balance of factors is just right, you get a uniquely charming place that can offer something to the visitor that’s well worth traveling for. But the United States has thousands of cities.
All 30 cities listed below received the most votes after we surveyed a broad number of professional writers, photographers and travel industry specialists. Each voter was asked to select their favorite five small cities – with a population between 10,000 and 250,000 – drawing their selection from at least three different states. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2019, there were at least 780 cities with a population of 50,000 people or more in the country, and many more above 10,000. Naturally, many fantastic cities didn’t make the list, but amid stiff competition, here are the winners.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of the United States is the city of Bellingham, whose history is closely intertwined with the water. Bellingham was an important site for boatbuilding and fishing, with the former benefitting from a plentiful supply of lumber from forests nearby. Today, tourism is one of the mainstays of the city, with a huge waterfront redevelopment underway. But it’s the great outdoors beyond that draw most people to Bellingham. Mount Baker is an excellent ski resort in winter, while the North Cascades National Park to which it belongs is a remarkable expanse of montane wilderness.
