I grew up in a small town of less than 13,000 people. You could put my entire hometown inside Saratoga Performing Arts Center and still have room for another 10,000. When I was a kid I always wanted to live elsewhere. Looking back I realize growing up in a small town was pretty great.

Out of the Top 10 Best Small Towns In America, New York State holds 5 spots, including #1! Did your hometown make the list? What makes a great small town? We are about to find out.

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CNBC reports that All Star Home, a home improvement company, recently ranked the best small towns in America. Any and all towns with a population of 100,000 or less were considered partially based on community, safety, affordable living and education. Here's the top 10.

  • #10 - Quincy, Illinois
  • #9 - Steubenville, Ohio
  • #8 - Meridian, Massachusetts / Saint Joseph, Missouri (TIE)
  • #7 - Charlottesville, VA / Greenwood Mississippi / Watertown, New York (TIE)
  • #6 - Bowling Green, Kentucky / Hannibal, Missouri (TIE)
  • #5 - Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
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#4 - BINGHAMTON, NY - The Carousel Capital of the World

Getty Images
Getty Images
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#3 - UTICA, NY - Known for its riggies, world-class museum and a century-old zoo.

Photo by Caleb McGuire on Unsplash
Photo by Caleb McGuire on Unsplash
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#2 - CORNING, NY - America's Crystal City featuring a museum of glass, the Gaffer District and all close to the Finger Lakes.

Photo by Hunter Reilly on Unsplash
Photo by Hunter Reilly on Unsplash
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#1 - ELMIRA, NY -  Home to Elmira College and resting place of Mark Twain.

LOOK: The 50 best small towns to raise a family in the U.S.

Looking for the best small towns to raise a family? Stacker compiled this list of the top 50 small towns in the United States using 2023 data from Niche.

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