Big city living isn’t for everyone. The best mid- to small-sized cities for singles are located near a major metro or large university.

  • Submarkets/suburbs of major metros cited as top cities for families
  • Markets cited as tops for singles are likely not going to see spikes in sales activity, as singles tend to rent more than own
  • There are a number of mid- to small-sized cities that are apparently very "livable"

Big-city living isn’t for everyone. The best mid- to small-sized cities for singles are located near either a major metro or large university, according to a report from Livability.com.

Top markets cited for singles included:

  • Carrboro, North Carolina (near the University of North Carolina)
  • Hoboken, New Jersey (near New York City)
  • West Hollywood, California (borders Los Angeles)
  • Oxford, Mississippi (home of the University of Mississippi)
  • San Marcos, Texas (home of Texas State University)
  • Ypsilanti, Michigan (home of Eastern Michigan University)
  • Ames, Iowa (homes of Iowa State University)
  • Miami Beach, Florida (just north of South Beach)
  • Athens, Georgia (home of the University of Georgia)
  • Moscow, Idaho (home of the University of Idaho)

These locales have a high percentage of unmarried people ages 20 to 34, a number of whom live alone. Generally, these individuals are more likely to rent than buy, so these findings are likely good news to multifamily owners in these markets.

Greg Henry / Shutterstock.com

Greg Henry / Shutterstock.com

When it comes to mid- to small-sized cities that might be prime for an uptick in home sales, the majority are submarkets of larger cities with a high population of families.

According to a separate report from Livability.com, the top cities for families include:

  • Overland Park, Kansas (Kansas City submarket)
  • Plano, Texas (Dallas submarket)
  • Holland, Michigan (Grand Rapids submarket)
  • Carmel, Indiana (Indianapolis submarket)
  • Leesburg, Virginia
  • Chandler, Arizona (Phoenix submarket)
  • Naperville, Illinois (Chicago submarket)
  • Bentonville, Arkansas
  • Rockville, Maryland (D.C. submarket)
  • St. George, Utah

Ranking criteria was based on the volume of households with kids, crime rate, children in poverty rate, graduation rate, school rankings, kids’ programs, cost of living, commute time and walk score.

In mid-September, Livability.com found that overall the top “livable locales” with a population between 20,000 and 350,000 were Rochester, Minnesota; Bellevue, Washington; and Madison, Wisconsin.

Email Erik Pisor.

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×