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The worst small city in America has been revealed, and California cities consistently rank at the bottom.
TO recent WalletHub analysis ranked more than 1,300 small cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across the United States, and determined that Isla Vista, California, just north of Santa Barbara, is the worst.
It had some of the worst affordability and economic health scores, with a high percentage of the population in poverty and some of the lowest homeownership rates.
Other California cities also fared poorly in the survey, which looked at 45 different metrics, from housing costs to job growth, as well as education and even the number of restaurants per capita.
Wasco, northeast of Bakersfield, which has a population of about 25,000, came in third on the list, scoring only slightly better than Isla Vista in affordability, but worse in categories such as safety and quality of life.
Isla Vista, California, just north of Santa Barbara, was ranked the worst small city in America.
When looking at individual metrics, Bell Gardens, West Hollywood and Isla Vista had the lowest affordability scores of the cities analyzed.
Maywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Huntington Park also made the bottom 10, placing several cities in densely populated Los Angeles County among the worst performers.
While the lowest results were disclosed, the cities that obtained the best results were also disclosed. These included:
Isla Vista had some of the worst affordability and economic health scores, with a high percentage of the population in poverty, and has some of the lowest homeownership rates.
1. Carmel, Indiana
Carmel, Indiana, was rated the best small city to live in, with one of the lowest unemployment rates, at just 3 percent.
It also has the 33rd lowest rental cost as a percentage of median household income, about 14 percent, and its median annual household income is nearly $133,000, the 110th highest among more than 1,300 cities.
Carmel also has a low unemployment rate and high incomes, with the fourth-lowest proportion of adults in fair or poor health.
It has the 23rd lowest premature death rate in the country, the fourth lowest pedestrian mortality rate, and the 75th lowest violent crime rate.
2. Brookfield, Wisconsin
Brookfield, Wisconsin, was ranked the second best small city to live in with a 3 percent unemployment rate and the 96th highest homeownership rate, along with the 11th best median credit score.
It has the fifth-lowest proportion of residents in fair or poor health, and more than 98 percent of the population has health insurance.
It also has the 31st lowest violent crime rate and 19th lowest pedestrian death rate in the country.
Carmel, Indiana, was rated the best small city to live in, with one of the lowest unemployment rates, just 3 percent.
3. Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts, was ranked the third best small city to live in, with the fourth lowest property crime rate and the 37th lowest violent crime rate.
It has one of the lowest car accident deaths in the country and one of the highest median annual household incomes, at more than $206,000.
Lexington also benefits from Massachusetts having the best school system in the country.
It has the second-highest percentage of people with health insurance, the eighth-lowest percentage of adults in poor health or religious, and 22nd in number of fitness centers per capita.