A Western metropolis has taken the crown as America’s best-governed city thanks to its high quality of life and frugal lawmakers.
Nampa, Idaho is the state’s third most populous city and is known for its proximity to breathtaking natural beauty.
But it comes first when it comes to operating efficiently, as it tops the rankings of 148 of the country’s largest cities.
Nampa is led by Mayor Debbie Kling.
Although she is a Republican, the role is nonpartisan and she takes pride in making her city as livable as possible.
According to researchers, the city with 100,000 inhabitants appeared to be the best governed Wallet Hub which analyzed how well city officials manage public resources and the quality of services locals receive.
“America’s best-run cities use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, healthcare, safety and transportation to their residents,” explains Wallethub analyst Cassandra Happe.
Nampa, Idaho, has taken the crown for America’s best-governed city thanks to its high quality of life and frugal lawmakers
‘Many of the top cities also have very low outstanding public debt per capita, which could prevent financial problems in the future.’
Nampa’s outstanding long-term debt per capita is just $564, compared to major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver and Detroit, where the number is between $25,000 and $35,000.
Nampa is also a safe city, with the sixth lowest property crime rate and 22nd lowest violent crime rate in the country.
Additionally, the city has the seventh largest number of traffic fatalities per capita.
Nampa is also doing very well economically. It has the highest average annual income growth in the country at 17 percent.
It boasts a healthy number of growing businesses and the third highest predicted change in median home values.
Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling was praised for how lawmakers are spending public money efficiently
Lexington has the nation’s second-best drinking water quality, relatively low air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions compared to most other cities
Ranking number two among the best-run cities is Kentucky’s Lexington, thanks in large part to the cleanliness of its streets.
Lexington has the second-best drinking water quality in the country, relatively low air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions compared to most other cities.
It has the 13th lowest violent crime rate in the country and the 20th best road quality in the country.
It combines a a respectable median income of over $71,000, with care for those less fortunate – more than 95 percent of Lexington’s homeless population is sheltered.
In third place again is Boise, Idaho, where residents benefit from financial stability.
In third place is Boise, Idaho, where residents benefit from financial stability
Nashua had the third best ranking for service quality
The city has the third-lowest outstanding public debt per capita, at $1,062, and has healthy forecasts for business growth and housing prices.
Additionally, Boise is a very safe city, with the fourth lowest property crime rate and tenth lowest violent crime rate in the country.
It has the fewest traffic fatalities per capita and has a highly ranked public hospital system.
The top five is completed by the New Hampshire cities of Nashua and Oklahoma City.
Nashua had the third best ranking for service quality, while Oklahoma City has a competitive ranking for per capita budget.
Oklahoma City rounds out the top five best-run cities in the U.S. according to the Wallethub survey
To determine the best and worst run cities in America, WalletHub compared cities in six major categories.
These were financial stability, education, health, safety, economy and infrastructure and pollution.
The statistics were then divided by the total budget per capita to obtain a score.
Detroit, Michigan, Jackson, Mississippi, and Gary, Indiana were considered the worst-run cities in the country using the system.