Schaumburg, Arlington Heights Ranked 'Most Livable' : SmartAsset

SCHAUMBURG, IL — Two local towns rank among the most livable small cities in the U.S., according to findings from a study done by the personal finance technology company SmartAsset. To find the most livable small cities in America, SmartAsset compared 287 cities with at least 65,000 people but fewer than 100,000 across the following 10 metrics, ranking both Schaumburg and Arlington Heights 25 ( a tie).

• Concentration of entertainment establishments
• Concentration of bars
• Concentration of restaurants
• Concentration of healthcare establishments
• Gini coefficient
• Home affordability
• Housing costs as a percentage of household income
• Percentage of residents below the poverty line
• Percentage of residents without health insurance
• Average commute time

To get the results, SmartAssest said they first ranked each city in each metric. Next, they found each city’s average ranking, with each metric receiving an equal weight. They then used this average ranking to create their final scores. The city with the highest average ranking received a score of 100 and the city with the lowest average ranking received a score of 0.

According to SmartAsset's finding, approximately four in 10 Americans would choose to live in a town, a small city or a suburb of a small city as opposed to big cities and rural areas, adding that small cities may be more appealing in light of the coronavirus crisis, as there may be more access to parks and outdoor spaces in places with lower population densities.

The full report, including the methodology, key findings and additional infographics, can be found at smartasset.com/checking-account/most-livable-small-cities-in-the-us-2020.