2021’s Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America – WalletHub Study

Tens of thousands of local government entities issued policy changes in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Local government offices and services were limited or closed. Federal and state governments received the vast majority of media coverage for their actions.

Cities are now returning to normal with restrictions being lifted including masks not being required and gatherings without limitations. However, local government officials still believe that COVID’s impact will be long lasting, The New Normal Survey results found priorities in local government agencies have shifted dramatically since 2020. , most respondents said they expected their governments to continue to prioritize pandemic-related issues up to a year from now, including community engagement (50%), small business support (38%) and public health and wellness (33%).

With local governments helping their cities transition back to normalcy as COVID-19 cases decline, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America.

To determine the effectiveness of local leadership, they compared 150 of the largest U.S. cities based on their operating efficiency. For each city, they constructed a “Quality of City Services” score – comprising 38 key performance indicators grouped into six service categories – that was then measured against the city’s total per-capita budget.

Best vs. Worst

• Nampa, Idaho, has the lowest long-term debt outstanding per capita, $607, which is 36.5 times lower than in Washington, the city with the highest at $22,178.
• Warwick, Rhode Island, has the fewest violent crimes (per 1,000 residents), 0.94, which is 20.9 times fewer than in Detroit, the city with the most at 19.65.
• Provo, Utah, has the lowest unemployment rate, 2.10 percent, which is 6.6 times lower than in Hartford, Connecticut, the city with the highest at 13.90 percent.
• Fremont, California, has the lowest share of the population living in poverty, 4.30 percent, which is nine times lower than in Flint, Michigan, the city with the highest at 38.80 percent.

Expert Commentary

In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing U.S. cities today?

“The most important issues facing cities today are COVID-19, housing affordability, and crime. COVID-19 is still a major problem, but vaccinations are the clear solution. Cities need to continue encouraging vaccinations, including among hard-to-reach and otherwise reluctant populations.”

John Winters – Associate Professor, Iowa State University

What can citizens do to increase the transparency and accountability of local government?

“Public access channels on television contribute to transparency and accountability, well-advertised public meetings and hearings, and the revival of local newspapers with reporters who report on the day-to-day activity of local government would go a long way to increasing transparency and accountability. It is so unfortunate that so many local newspapers have gone out of business. And I do realize restoring local newspapers to a prominent role as local government watchdogs is unlikely. But I believe strongly in the printed press.”

Gary L. Rose, Ph.D. – Professor and Chair of Department of Government – Sacred Heart University

How can local policymakers reduce racial tensions in the wake of recent movements?

“The single most important factor for improving race relations is police reform. There is no magic formula, but there are some common-sense reforms that should be considered and rigorously evaluated. First, police forces are still unrepresentative of the populations they serve in many cities. Overall, that means many cities need more Black and Hispanic police officers. Second, there needs to be more transparency and oversight about police forces and police behavior.”

John Winters – Associate Professor, Iowa State University

“Sponsored public events such as fairs, public concerts, and other community-wide activities that bring whites and persons of color together as a community would be one way of reducing the tension. Racially diverse police forces would also be beneficial in many cities along with more persons of color elected to public office, particularly in urban areas.”

Gary L. Rose, Ph.D. – Professor and Chair of Department of Government – Sacred Heart University

To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-run-cities/22869