Copyright Staten Island Advance
A charming upstate New York city famous for its world-class horse races and bubbling mineral springs is one of the best places to live in America, according to a new study. Saratoga Springs has been named among the top 10 small cities in the United States by WalletHub. The Capital Region gem was ranked the nation’s eighth-best small city in the study by WalletHub, a personal finance company that conducts studies about America’s cities and states, financial products and the economy. Saratoga Springs, beloved by locals and celebrities alike, was the only community in New York to make the top 10. To create its ranking, WalletHub said it compared the “key indicators of livability” for 1,318 cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The livability factors included the quality of schools, the price of housing and the number of restaurants. Researchers then calculated a weighted average across metrics, giving particular weight to affordability and safety. Saratoga Springs, home to about 28,000 people, is a lovely place to both live and visit. The city is perhaps best known for hosting the Saratoga Race Course, the 162-year-old track that has been dubbed one of the best in America. The historic track has even captured the hearts of celebrities like chef Bobby Flay and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who bought homes in Saratoga Springs to be close to the racetrack. But the Spa City offers much more than horse racing. Saratoga Springs boasts the only naturally carbonated mineral springs east of the Rocky Mountains. There are 21 taste test-worthy public springs throughout the city, including in downtown’s Congress Park and in the scenic Saratoga Spa State Park. The city is home to a bustling downtown dotted with restaurants and shops — including Northshire Books, one of the best bookstores in Upstate New York, and three of the nation’s top-rated sweet shops: Saratoga Chocolate Co., Sweet Mimi’s Café & Bakery and Darling Doughnuts. Saratoga Springs is also no stranger to recognition. The city has previously been named one of the best small college towns in America and one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly small towns in the nation. Here are the top 10 best small American cities to live in, according to WalletHub: Carmel, Indiana Brookfield, Wisconsin Apex, North Carolina Lexington, Massachusetts Westfield, Indiana Fishers, Indiana Brentwood, Tennessee Saratoga Springs, New York Appleton, Wisconsin Lehi, Utah
