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GOBankingRates

Heather Taylor

50 Safest and Richest Small Towns To Live in 2026

GOBankingRates Midwest Illinois Michigan New Jersey Pennsylvania America Massachusetts Ohio Wisconsin

America’s safest and richest small towns are tucked away not on the coasts, but in the Midwest. According to a new study from GOBankingRates, 24 Midwest communities — the most out of any U.S. region — ranked among the nation’s 50 safest and richest small towns in 2026.

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GOBankingRates determined these rankings by sourcing 1,000 small towns (defined as places with a total population between 1,000 and 10,000 residents) with the highest mean household income from the U.S. Census 2024 5-Year ACS. Additional sourced data included average monthly cost of living and livability index of 75 or greater. For safety, we calculated the crime rate for property crimes and violent crimes per 1,000 residents using each town’s reported crimes and total population. The safest and richest small towns were scored by their average cost of living, property and violent crime rates per 1,000 residents and mean household income, which were weighted at 1.00 apiece and summed and sorted.

Key Findings

University Park, Maryland, is the nation’s safest and richest small town. It is the only Maryland locale to rank in the top 50, with an average household income of $247,607.
Three of the nation’s five richest small towns are in the Midwest. They include Kenilworth, Illinois (#2); Huntington Woods, Michigan (#3); and Pleasant Ridge, Michigan (#5). The top five is rounded out with Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
Only one Florida town cracked the top 50. Belleair placed at #36 with an average household income of $184,529.

See which small towns rank among the 50 safest and richest in the nation. Also, check out our analysis on 2025’s safest and richest cities in America.

1. University Park, Maryland

Average household income: $247,607
Monthly cost of living: $5,730
Livability: 93
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.424
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 10.598

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2. Kenilworth, Illinois

Average household income: $486,298
Monthly cost of living: $12,815
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.801

3. Huntington Woods, Michigan

Average household income: $233,441
Monthly cost of living: $4,832
Livability: 89
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.321
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.052

4. Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

Average household income: $170,446
Monthly cost of living: $4,960
Livability: 94
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.278
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 10.015

5. Pleasant Ridge, Michigan

Average household income: $203,485
Monthly cost of living: $4,541
Livability: 90
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.781
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.074

6. Ottawa Hills, Ohio

Average household income: $235,671
Monthly cost of living: $4,095
Livability: 88
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.209
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.530

7. Glen Ridge, New Jersey

Average household income: $298,087
Monthly cost of living: $8,497
Livability: 88
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.244
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 11.959

8. Ross, California

Average household income: $536,025
Monthly cost of living: $22,165
Livability: 85
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.880
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 17.158

9. Grandview Heights, Ohio

Average household income: $174,006
Monthly cost of living: $5,012
Livability: 94
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.110
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 21.326

10. Madeira, Ohio

Average household income: $245,581
Monthly cost of living: $4,725
Livability: 85
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.723

11. Purcellville, Virginia

Average household income: $195,842
Monthly cost of living: $7,095
Livability: 89
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.224
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.952

12. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Average household income: $221,158
Monthly cost of living: $4,826
Livability: 87
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.918
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.580

13. Glencoe, Illinois

Average household income: $424,521
Monthly cost of living: $10,631
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.236
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.009

14. Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin

Average household income: $243,191
Monthly cost of living: $8,253
Livability: 88
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.393
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.541

15. Elm Grove, Wisconsin

Average household income: $204,464
Monthly cost of living: $5,836
Livability: 85
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.959

16. Wyoming, Ohio

Average household income: $192,392
Monthly cost of living: $4,499
Livability: 86
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.926
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.016

17. Lake Bluff, Illinois

Average household income: $290,230
Monthly cost of living: $5,592
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.363
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.350

18. Narberth, Pennsylvania

Average household income: $203,416
Monthly cost of living: $7,371
Livability: 87
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 10.029

19. Northville, Michigan

Average household income: $179,018
Monthly cost of living: $5,550
Livability: 86
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.169
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.069

20. Sherman, Illinois

Average household income: $171,596
Monthly cost of living: $3,711
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.967

21. Clyde Hill, Washington

Average household income: $473,130
Monthly cost of living: $23,777
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.327
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.477

22. Hopkinton, Massachusetts

Average household income: $304,605
Monthly cost of living: $7,465
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.843
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.429

23. Chatham, New Jersey

Average household income: $301,281
Monthly cost of living: $9,477
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.210
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.050

24. Dover, Massachusetts

Average household income: $476,649
Monthly cost of living: $11,726
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.511
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.036

25. Fox Point, Wisconsin

Average household income: $250,589
Monthly cost of living: $4,905
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.948

26. Edgeworth, Pennsylvania

Average household income: $326,675
Monthly cost of living: $7,278
Livability: 77
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.861

27. Hingham, Massachusetts

Average household income: $318,365
Monthly cost of living: $9,322
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.259
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.042

28. Riverside, Illinois

Average household income: $175,239
Monthly cost of living: $5,165
Livability: 85
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.804
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.807

29. Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan

Average household income: $220,333
Monthly cost of living: $4,879
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.415
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 10.685

30. Kensington, California

Average household income: $274,259
Monthly cost of living: $9,997
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.112
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.412

31. Sharon, Massachusetts

Average household income: $205,776
Monthly cost of living: $6,971
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.373
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.399

32. Hanover, New Hampshire

Average household income: $232,893
Monthly cost of living: $7,571
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.508

33. Olmos Park, Texas

Average household income: $295,711
Monthly cost of living: $7,582
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.464
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.425

34. Leonia, New Jersey

Average household income: $180,515
Monthly cost of living: $6,814
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.316
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.839

35. Medina, Washington

Average household income: $488,829
Monthly cost of living: $25,802
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.943

36. Belleair, Florida

Average household income: $184,529
Monthly cost of living: $6,951
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.219
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.567

37. Pennington, New Jersey

Average household income: $234,993
Monthly cost of living: $5,891
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.686
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.142

38. Fair Haven, New Jersey

Average household income: $346,619
Monthly cost of living: $9,966
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.165
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.814

39. Monte Sereno, California

Average household income: $483,116
Monthly cost of living: $24,949
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.868
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.236

40. Kohler, Wisconsin

Average household income: $191,812
Monthly cost of living: $4,167
Livability: 87
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 28.025

41. Northfield, Illinois

Average household income: $264,530
Monthly cost of living: $7,389
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.183
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.668

42. Palos Park, Illinois

Average household income: $221,877
Monthly cost of living: $5,126
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.297

43. Tyrone, Georgia

Average household income: $180,161
Monthly cost of living: $4,984
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.498
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.611

44. Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Average household income: $223,226
Monthly cost of living: $4,876
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.115
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 19.692

45. Indian Head Park, Illinois

Average household income: $178,102
Monthly cost of living: $4,721
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.118

46. Clarendon Hills, Illinois

Average household income: $219,096
Monthly cost of living: $6,173
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.343

47. Cottleville, Missouri

Average household income: $175,123
Monthly cost of living: $4,691
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.162
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 0.487

48. Ridgefield, Connecticut

Average household income: $247,890
Monthly cost of living: $8,018
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.241
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.809

49. Medfield, Massachusetts

Average household income: $264,357
Monthly cost of living: $8,071
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.489
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.308

50. Fairway, Kansas

Average household income: $239,474
Monthly cost of living: $5,244
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.444
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.852

Explore more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: The top 1,000 small towns (populations between 1,000 and 10,000) with the highest mean household incomes were sourced from the U.S. Census 2024 5-Year ACS. Cost of living was determined using indexes from Sperling’s BestPlaces combined with mortgage data sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for January 2026 and Federal Reserve Economic Data, plus national average expenditure costs for all households via the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Crime data was sourced from the FBI’s 2024 Crimes Known to Law Enforcement. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes — all small towns with a livability below 75 were removed. Cost of living, income, crime rates and livability were scored, and the towns were sorted to show the richest and safest small towns to live in America. All data is up to date as of March 4, 2026.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 50 Safest and Richest Small Towns To Live in 2026

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