USA TODAY 10Best Small Towns, Explained
How the readers’ choice vote works, and the recent winners we could confirm.
Plan a Small-Town TripBest Small Towns: USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice
Search for the best small towns and USA TODAY comes up again and again. Its USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards include several small-town categories each year, and winning towns celebrate loudly. Here is how the awards work, and the recent results we could confirm from the towns and their tourism offices.
How the vote works
- A panel of travel experts nominates the towns in each category.
- Readers vote online during a voting period, usually in early spring.
- The top 10 in each category are published; 2026 results were announced on April 8, 2026.
- Categories are regional (Northeast, South, Midwest, West) and thematic (for example coastal towns and cultural scenes).
Because the public votes, towns with active fan bases and tourism campaigns tend to do well. That does not make the winners any less worth visiting — just remember it is a popularity contest, not an inspection.
Recent Results We Could Verify
| Category | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Best Small Town in the Midwest, 2026 | Vevay, Indiana, 1st; Madison, Indiana, 2nd (Madison won in 2024 and 2025) | Visit Madison, April 2026 |
| Best Small Town in the West, 2026 | Palisade, Colorado, 1st; Breckenridge, Colorado, 5th | Denver Gazette, April 2026 |
| Best Small Coastal Town, 2025 and 2026 | Pismo Beach, California, 1st both years | Pismo Beach visitors bureau |
| Best Small Town Cultural Scene, 2025 and 2026 | Ruidoso, New Mexico, 1st both years | Village of Ruidoso |
| Best Small Town in the South, 2024 and 2025 | Starkville, Mississippi, 1st both years | Mississippi State University |
We list only results confirmed by the towns or local news; for the full top-10 lists and any category not shown, go to the 10Best site. Reports of some 2026 placements, including the Northeast, conflicted, so we have left them out rather than guess.
Using the Lists to Plan a Trip
A winners list makes a great starting point. Pick a category that matches how you like to travel — coastal, cultural, food — then look at where the top towns sit on a map. Often two or three are close enough to combine: Madison and Vevay are neighbors on the Ohio River, and Palisade and Ouray are a scenic drive apart in western Colorado.
- Read each town’s own visitor site for events and the best season.
- Check how far the nearest airport is, and whether you need a car.
- Book early in award years: winners often see a jump in visitors.
- See our regional pages for the Northeast, South, Midwest, Colorado and the West and West Coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the USA TODAY 10Best best small towns chosen?
A panel of travel experts nominates towns in each category, and readers vote online during a set voting period. The towns with the most votes make the top 10. It measures popularity and community enthusiasm as much as anything else.
Which town won Best Small Town in the South?
Starkville, Mississippi, home of Mississippi State University, won the category in 2024 and again in 2025, according to the university. Check the 10Best site for the latest results.
Is there one overall best small town in the USA?
No. The 10Best awards split small towns into regional and theme categories — for example the Northeast, South, Midwest and West, plus categories such as coastal towns and cultural scenes — so there are several winners each year.
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