Winona has been named the 2nd Best Small City to Live in America, according to a Census Data Report carried out by consumer finance startup, Pheabs.com.
The report analyzed numerous variables including household incomes, poverty levels, hours worked per week and average home values - all key priorities for families and those looking to enjoy a great quality of life in a small city. This data was used to create a cumulative score which resulted in Winona, Minnesota, scoring 76.3, making it the second highest ranked best small city in America.
In particular, Winona had strong household income at around $42,018 per year, a healthy number of hours worked per week (32.7 hours), affordable rent at $567 per month and median home values of $153,010. Residents or visitors can also check out the historic sites, attend festivals or marvel at Winona’s stunning architecture and lovely green parks.
Other cities ranked in the top five were #1 Cedar Falls, IA; #3. Marion, IN; #4 Wooster, OH; and #5 Moorhead, MN. Three other Minnesota cites were listed in the report including #6 Mankato, #47 St. Cloud; and #70 Austin. La Crosse, WI was ranked #12.
Daniel Tannenbaum, the founder of Pheabs, commented: “We are delighted to see Winona, Minnesota ranked as the second best small city to live in America. Data is at the very heart of our business and all the variables point towards a very good quality of life, with strong incomes, high employment, affordable rent and homeownership and a good balance of work and commute times.”
“On the surface, people might be impressed by small cities in California, Florida or New York but when you look at the data and compare poverty lines and the ability to obtain a strong and stable income and buy a great family home, you may be surprised by what the small cities in the Mid-West have to offer.”