CREIGHTON, Neb. — Rick and Jane Saint John chose to live in the small town of Creighton, Nebraska, for one main reason: its hospital.
Jane and Rick Saint John discuss how important their local hospital, Avera Creighton Hospital, is in their rural community Feb. 24 in Creighton, Neb.
Margery A. Beck, Associated PressPeople are also reading…
- Watch: New Iowa running backs coach explains why he rejoined Hawkeyes
- 8 children killed at home in Louisiana domestic violence, police say
- Report: Iowa State fan-favorite Cade Kelderman enters transfer portal
- Grinnell's Will Slagle recommits to Iowa State, recruiting win for Jimmy Rogers
- The advice Rocco Becht gave Jaylen Raynor about being Iowa State’s quarterback
- Former Cyclone Addy Brown commits to reigning NCAA Champs
- Jill On Money: Making sense of stocks at new highs
- White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami putting on historic HR show
- 7-foot-3 center Andrew McKeever transfer commits to Iowa
- An AI bot is running a retail store. Is this the future?
- Iowa State star Audi Crooks transferring to Big 12 rival
- History-making Munetaka Murakami is already 'one of the boys' with White Sox
- Second Florida transfer Emilija Dakic commits to Iowa State
- Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson wins NBA's Sixth Man award
- Winners (Jermod McCoy) and losers (Diego Pavia) of 2026 NFL Draft Day 3
Jane and Rick Saint John hold hands Feb. 24 as they recall how Jane received life-saving care three years ago at Avera Creighton Hospital.
Margery A. Beck, Associated Press
Avera Creighton Hospital is seen Feb. 24 in Creighton, Neb.
Margery A. Beck, Associated Press- ALI SWENSON Associated Press
Avera Creighton Hospital CEO Theresa Guenther is seen Feb. 24 in her office in Creighton, Neb.
Margery A. Beck, Associated Press
Nebraska state Sen. Barry DeKay, a Republican, is seen Feb. 5 on the floor of the state Capitol in Lincoln.
Margery A. Beck, Associated Press- JAMES POLLARD Associated Press
Friendly neighbors, safe streets, excellent schools, and quieter regions near bustling cities are all qualities some of the best small towns in America share in common. To find the best small towns to live in across America, Stacker referenced Niche's Best Places to Live study, released in August 2021, which ranked American towns by overall quality of life. The variables used by Niche include cost of living, health and fitness, and weather. Any town with more than 40,000 people was excluded.
The top cities on this list run the gamut from long-established villages in the suburbs of New York City to planned communities in Virginia and Texas. They feature stops on the Underground Railroad, buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, and community traditions—apple festivals, communal gardens, ice cream socials, and harvest markets—reflecting their roots as farming towns.
- Andrew F. Kazmierski // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,786
- Homeowners: 74% of the population
- Eric Glenn // Shutterstock
- Population: 25,179
- Homeowners: 78% of the population
- quiggyt4 // Shutterstock
- Population: 5,815
- Homeowners: 79% of the population
- Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
- Population: 3,615
- Homeowners: 96% of the population
- Peter Kniez // Shutterstock
- Population: 25,592
- Homeowners: 93% of the population
- Colloidial // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,802
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- John Phelan // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 2,724
- Homeowners: 67% of the population
- Margaret Luzier/USACE // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 3,513
- Homeowners: 96% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 25,534
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Wileydoc // Shutterstock
- Population: 31,000
- Homeowners: 60% of the population
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 19,453
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 30,252
- Homeowners: 83% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 13,972
- Homeowners: 81% of the population
- James Meyer // Shutterstock
- Population: 28,328
- Homeowners: 57% of the population
- BeeRu // Shutterstock
- Population: 32,303
- Homeowners: 72% of the population
- woodsnorthphoto // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,336
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 9,147
- Homeowners: 88% of the population
- Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 16,437
- Homeowners: 83% of the population
- SoleilC // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,345
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 8,888
- Homeowners: 57% of the population
- njaj // Shutterstock
- Population: 24,002
- Homeowners: 66% of the population
- Darryl Brooks // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,642
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- Doug Kerr // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 3,689
- Homeowners: 52% of the population
- Lewis Liu // Shutterstock
- Population: 36,272
- Homeowners: 55% of the population
- Gerald Zaffuts // Shutterstock
- Population: 11,389
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Kristina Bessolova // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,763
- Homeowners: 89% of the population
- Nicole Glass Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,150
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- John Penney // Shutterstock
- Population: 27,387
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 22,170
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Jon Kraft // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,889
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,849
- Homeowners: 71% of the population
- BAZA Production // Shutterstock
- Population: 6,318
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Spiroview Inc // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,963
- Homeowners: 98% of the population
- Nejdet Duzen // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,716
- Homeowners: 84% of the population
- Christopher Aquino // Shutterstock
- Population: 14,220
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- LanaG // Shutterstock
- Population: 26,280
- Homeowners: 48% of the population
- Wileydoc // Shutterstock
- Population: 23,914
- Homeowners: 84% of the population
- Nicole Glass Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,005
- Homeowners: 64% of the population
- thka // Shutterstock
- Population: 6,957
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Jose F. Donneys // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,982
- Homeowners: 80% of the population
- JaySi // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,972
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- John M. Chase // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,808
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 16,588
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Tales.org // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,835
- Homeowners: 97% of the population
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,666
- Homeowners: 67% of the population
- Abigale Snortland // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,500
- Homeowners: 56% of the population
- Paul Sableman // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 24,141
- Homeowners: 61% of the population
- T-I // Shutterstock
- Population: 5,932
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- Osadchaya Olga // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,800
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Andrew F. Kazmierski // Shutterstock
Best small towns to live in across America
![]()
Best small towns to live in across America
Friendly neighbors, safe streets, excellent schools, and quieter regions near bustling cities are all qualities some of the best small towns in America share in common. To find the best small towns to live in across America, Stacker referenced Niche's Best Places to Live study, released in August 2021, which ranked American towns by overall quality of life. The variables used by Niche include cost of living, health and fitness, and weather. Any town with more than 40,000 people was excluded.
The top cities on this list run the gamut from long-established villages in the suburbs of New York City to planned communities in Virginia and Texas. They feature stops on the Underground Railroad, buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, and community traditions—apple festivals, communal gardens, ice cream socials, and harvest markets—reflecting their roots as farming towns.
- Andrew F. Kazmierski // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,786
- Homeowners: 74% of the population
- Eric Glenn // Shutterstock
- Population: 25,179
- Homeowners: 78% of the population
- quiggyt4 // Shutterstock
- Population: 5,815
- Homeowners: 79% of the population
- Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
- Population: 3,615
- Homeowners: 96% of the population
- Peter Kniez // Shutterstock
- Population: 25,592
- Homeowners: 93% of the population
- Colloidial // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,802
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- John Phelan // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 2,724
- Homeowners: 67% of the population
- Margaret Luzier/USACE // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 3,513
- Homeowners: 96% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 25,534
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Wileydoc // Shutterstock
- Population: 31,000
- Homeowners: 60% of the population
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 19,453
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 30,252
- Homeowners: 83% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 13,972
- Homeowners: 81% of the population
- James Meyer // Shutterstock
- Population: 28,328
- Homeowners: 57% of the population
- BeeRu // Shutterstock
- Population: 32,303
- Homeowners: 72% of the population
- woodsnorthphoto // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,336
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- EQRoy // Shutterstock
- Population: 9,147
- Homeowners: 88% of the population
- Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 16,437
- Homeowners: 83% of the population
- SoleilC // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,345
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 8,888
- Homeowners: 57% of the population
- njaj // Shutterstock
- Population: 24,002
- Homeowners: 66% of the population
- Darryl Brooks // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,642
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- Doug Kerr // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 3,689
- Homeowners: 52% of the population
- Lewis Liu // Shutterstock
- Population: 36,272
- Homeowners: 55% of the population
- Gerald Zaffuts // Shutterstock
- Population: 11,389
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Kristina Bessolova // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,763
- Homeowners: 89% of the population
- Nicole Glass Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,150
- Homeowners: 91% of the population
- John Penney // Shutterstock
- Population: 27,387
- Homeowners: 63% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 22,170
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Jon Kraft // Shutterstock
- Population: 13,889
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,849
- Homeowners: 71% of the population
- BAZA Production // Shutterstock
- Population: 6,318
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Spiroview Inc // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,963
- Homeowners: 98% of the population
- Nejdet Duzen // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,716
- Homeowners: 84% of the population
- Christopher Aquino // Shutterstock
- Population: 14,220
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- LanaG // Shutterstock
- Population: 26,280
- Homeowners: 48% of the population
- Wileydoc // Shutterstock
- Population: 23,914
- Homeowners: 84% of the population
- Nicole Glass Photography // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,005
- Homeowners: 64% of the population
- thka // Shutterstock
- Population: 6,957
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Jose F. Donneys // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,982
- Homeowners: 80% of the population
- JaySi // Shutterstock
- Population: 1,972
- Homeowners: 82% of the population
- John M. Chase // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,808
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Canva
- Population: 16,588
- Homeowners: 59% of the population
- Tales.org // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,835
- Homeowners: 97% of the population
- Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,666
- Homeowners: 67% of the population
- Abigale Snortland // Shutterstock
- Population: 8,500
- Homeowners: 56% of the population
- Paul Sableman // Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 24,141
- Homeowners: 61% of the population
- T-I // Shutterstock
- Population: 5,932
- Homeowners: 87% of the population
- Osadchaya Olga // Shutterstock
- Population: 4,800
- Homeowners: 77% of the population
- Andrew F. Kazmierski // Shutterstock
