With the help of a little GIS wizardry, Susan Spano and Aviva Shen map the 20 most cultured small towns in the U.S., from Gig Harbor, WA to Naples, FL and everywhere in between.
For their analysis, Spano and Shen called upon GIS giant Esri to pull up areas with all the markers of high culture: "museums, historic sites, botanic gardens, resident orchestras, art galleries and other cultural assets common to big cities."
By limiting the search to areas with less than 25,000 residents, they dug up hidden gems that tell many sides of the American story, from old desert missions and Confederate strongholds to the genesis of Arlo Guthrie and William Count Basie.
Here's the list (in no particular order):
- Great Barrington, MA
- Taos, NM
- Red Bank, NJ
- Mill Valley, CA
- Gig Harbor, WA
- Durango, CO
- Butler, PA
- Marfa, TX
- Naples, FL
- Staunton, VA
- Brattleboro, VT
- Princeton, NJ
- Brunswick, ME
- Siloam Springs, AR
- Menomonie, WI
- Key West, FL
- Laguna Beach, CA
- Ashland, OR
- Beckley City, WV
- Oxford, MS
"To have your horizon shifted in a town of 6,000 by an unheralded gem of a painting or a song belted out from a band shell on a starry summer night, that's special. It reinforces the truth that big cities and grand institutions per se don't produce creative works; individuals do. And being reminded of that is fun."
FULL STORY: The 20 Best Small Towns in America

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service