It is easy to assume big-name cities like Los Angeles or Sacramento would be leading the way in how well they are run. But a new report says otherwise. A 2025 study from WalletHub shows that the best-run cities in the U.S. are not where you might expect—and none of the top 10 are from California.
WalletHub looked at 148 of the nation’s largest cities. It compared how well each city uses its budget to provide key services like safety, education, infrastructure, and health. Then, it ranked them based on quality of services and how much each city spends per resident. Let us take a look at what the study found.
What is the best-run city in the U.S. in 2025?
Provo, Utah took the number one spot this year.
This small city in the western U.S., home to around 115,000 people, stood out for several reasons:
- High school graduation rate of 91% (above the national average of 87%)
- Strong economic growth rate of 5.2%
- Ranked fourth-lowest in violent crime among all cities
- Smart budget management compared to results delivered
Provo’s mix of good safety, strong schools, and a growing business scene helped push it to the top.
What other cities made the top 10?
If you live in Idaho, New Hampshire, or South Dakota—you are in luck. These states had cities ranked high for how well they are managed. Here are the top 10 best-run cities in the U.S. for 2025:
- Provo, UT
- Nampa, ID
- Manchester, NH
- Boise, ID
- Nashua, NH
- Dover, DE
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Lincoln, NE
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Fort Wayne, IN
As you can see, none of these cities are from California. In fact, California’s highest-ranked city, Huntington Beach, came in at number 34.
Why is California missing from the top 10?
California has some of the biggest and most famous cities in the country. But they often struggle with issues like:
- High government debt
- Rising housing costs
- Budget challenges
- Public safety concerns
Even cities that offer good services, like Huntington Beach, rank low when you look at how much they spend per person. In other words, they may be delivering results, but not as efficiently as smaller cities in other states.
How did WalletHub rank the cities?
WalletHub used two major metrics:
- Quality of services – This looked at things like schools, health care, safety, roads, and more.
- Total budget per capita – This measured how much each city spends per person and compared that to the services they provide.
According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, “The best-run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, health, safety and transportation to their residents.”
Cities with lower debt, strong public services, and efficient budgets scored the highest.
What does this mean for you?
If you are thinking about relocating, retiring, or just curious how your city stacks up, this report gives useful insight. Living in a city that manages its budget well means:
- Better public safety
- More reliable infrastructure
- Access to quality schools and health services
- A lower risk of future tax hikes due to overspending
These rankings can help you make smarter decisions about where to live or invest.
