America's Dreamtowns: Regional leaders in small-town quality of life rankings

bizjournals - August 7, 2006

Below are the 10 leading micropolitan areas in America’s four major regions. Each is followed by its national rank in parentheses, its estimated population as of 2005, and its per capita income as of 2004.

East: Top 10
  Micropolitan area (National rank) Area population Per capita income
1. Easton, Md. (4) 35,683 $46,144
2. Barre, Vt. (18) 59,478 $32,768
3. Lebanon, N.H.-Vt. (22) 172,023 $33,903
4. Rockland, Maine (29) 41,219 $31,748
5. Seaford, Del. (38) 176,548 $28,609
6. Lexington Park, Md. (39) 96,518 $33,004
7. Concord, N.H. (40) 146,881 $33,639
8. Bennington, Vt. (49) 36,999 $33,027
9. Ocean Pines, Md. (53) 48,750 $32,016
10. Keene, N.H. (81) 77,287 $32,306

South: Top 10
  Micropolitan area (National rank) Area population Per capita income
1. Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (7) 33,903 $31,401
2. Oxford, Miss. (11) 40,842 $25,526
3. Hilton Head Island-Beaufort, S.C. (19) 159,247 $34,550
4. Stillwater, Okla. (20) 69,151 $23,399
5. Boone, N.C. (33) 42,472 $26,033
6. Bartlesville, Okla. (34) 49,149 $30,498
7. Starkville, Miss. (36) 41,247 $23,492
8. Kerrville, Texas (42) 46,496 $30,341
9. Daphne-Fairhope, Ala. (50) 162,586 $28,269
10. Southern Pines-Pinehurst, N.C. (60) 81,685 $33,447

Midwest: Top 10
  Micropolitan area (National rank) Area population Per capita income
1. Pierre, S.D. (8) 19,704 $31,509
2. Rolla, Mo. (13) 42,125 $25,203
3. Hays, Kan. (14) 26,767 $29,261
4. Mankato-North Mankato, Minn. (16) 88,878 $30,384
5. Brookings, S.D. (21) 28,121 $27,839
6. Manhattan, Kan. (23) 106,540 $28,717
7. Aberdeen, S.D. (24) 38,818 $34,813
8. Marshall, Minn. (25) 24,472 $30,209
9. Spirit Lake, Iowa (26) 16,687 $34,213
10. Owatonna, Minn. (28) 35,755 $30,449

West: Top 10
  Micropolitan area (National rank) Area population Per capita income
1. Bozeman, Mont. (1) 78,210 $30,560
2. Jackson, Wyo.-Idaho (2) 26,499 $64,987
3. Durango, Colo. (3) 47,452 $31,887
4. Laramie, Wyo. (5) 30,890 $29,810
5. Edwards, Colo. (6) 55,268 $38,939
6. Silverthorne, Colo. (9) 24,892 $35,562
7. Los Alamos, N.M. (10) 18,822 $51,027
8. Sheridan, Wyo. (12) 27,389 $35,716
9. Portales, N.M. (15) 18,238 $27,027
10. Gillette, Wyo. (17) 37,405 $33,388