Two Ohio Cities Rank Among America's Best Small Cities

Two Ohio cities earned spots in the top 10 of a national ranking of the best small cities in the United States.

Dublin placed fourth nationally, while Mason secured the seventh spot, according to a report by the daily-jeff.com. These rankings come from Livability’s 2026 list, which evaluated more than 2,000 communities across the country.

The study focused specifically on cities with populations ranging from 15,000 to 75,000. For this year’s assessment, researchers placed extra weight on housing and the cost of living to address growing national concerns regarding affordability.

Dublin, which has a population of 49,569, earned a LivScore of 815. This score is part of a system used by Livability to compare different communities based on various quality-of-life metrics.

Two Ohio Cities Rank Among America's Best Small Cities

Mason followed closely with a LivScore of 803. The city has a population of 35,891 and offers a different economic profile than its neighbor in the rankings.

While both cities performed exceptionally well, their housing markets show distinct differences. The data reveals a gap in median home values between the two high-ranking municipalities.

City	LivScore	Population	Median Home Value
Dublin, Ohio	815	49,569	$536,950
Mason, Ohio	803	35,891	$453,875

Mason’s median home value is approximately $83,000 lower than that of Dublin. This distinction matters because the ranking emphasizes cost of living and housing affordability.

The ranking was not based on a single factor but rather a complex analysis of over 100 data points. Livability partnered with Applied Geographic Solutions to conduct the research, looking at eight specific categories to determine the winners.

These categories included the economy, education, safety, health, and transportation, alongside amenities, the environment, and housing. By analyzing such a broad spectrum, the study attempts to capture a holistic view of what makes a small city livable in 2026.

The top 10 list features several cities from the Southeast and the Midwest. While Ohio’s Dublin and Mason outperformed 43 of the 50 cities analyzed, they were preceded by several Alabama communities.

Daphne, Alabama: LivScore 881
Madison, Alabama: LivScore 876
Homewood, Alabama: LivScore 866
Dublin, Ohio: LivScore 815
Chesterfield, Missouri: LivScore 815
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania: LivScore 809
Mason, Ohio: LivScore 803
Westfield, Indiana: LivScore 802
Pflugerville, Texas: LivScore 795
Friendswood, Texas: LivScore 794

The inclusion of both Dublin and Mason in the top 10 highlights a trend of high-performing mid-sized communities in the Midwest. These cities balanced economic stability and amenities while managing the specific housing pressures that the 2026 ranking prioritized.

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