50 Best Small Town Downtowns in America

Best Choice Reviews - Best Towns America at bestchoice reviews.org

By BCR Staff

Posted January 2015

Small town Americana is alive and well across the entire United States. With thousands of sleep towns and beautiful villages, a new idea of an American downtown has emerged. Gone are the days of a downtown area with a post office, market and police department. What has taken the place of this outdates notion are unique and eclectic downtown areas full of energy, entertainment and accessibility for Americans of all ages. Small towns have become the central gathering places for residents and visitors of the many small towns and cities across the country. Many of these downtowns have rich history and culture attached to them. In addition to their history, many of these small downtowns are now places to shop, unwind, dine, attend festivals, hear music and so much more.

Ranking Methodology
This ranking list has been created to outline the top fifty small town downtowns in America. We have defined a small town as a city or town with full time residency of 15,000 or fewer citizens. The data used for this measure was the 2013 United States Census. Attention was specifically paid to those towns that have been named on a respected ranking list for Best Small Town, Best Main Street or Best Downtown. These respected ranking bodies include Parade Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Fox News Travel, Travel and Leisure, Livability or Huffington Post Travel. A third consideration was given to the median income of the town, median home price as well as the median age of the residents. While no preference was awarded to towns with higher or lower median age of residents, it is good information for potential visitors or residents. We paid close attention to the general appeal to the downtown area, including such things as general appearance, festivals or special events, dining, shopping, entertainment, arts and culture, parks, proximity to airports and hotels amenities available. The goal of this ranking list is to find the best small town downtown areas for both residents as well as visitors to the area.

At #4, Silver City, New Mexico, is between #3 - Traverse City, Michigan and #5 Heber City, Utah

# 4 Silver City New Mexico Best Small Town Downtown

2013 Population: 10,273

Silver City began its life as a mining town and since then has evolved into a cultural destination with a thriving downtown arts district. The town hosts several annual festivals that celebrate the town's cultural heritage and rich arts culture. Visitors and residents of the town can enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, as well as other types of eateries in the downtown area. Nearby is the 3.3 million-acre Gila National Forest with the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. You can also enjoy a day at the natural hot springs along the Trail of the Mountain Spirits. Downtown Silver City displays 19th century architecture with architecture ranging from adobe to Victorian. The majority of the town's art galleries are found in the downtown area, as well as plenty of coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants.

Median Income: $35,068
Median Age of Residents: 39.1
Median House Price: $242,144
National Ranking:
#18 on the Smithsonian Magazine Top 20 Small Towns to Visit List
Fox News Travel Best Main Streets in USA

For more information on Silver City and the area, visit www.silvercity.org