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Prior Nominations (147) Comments () Print

America's Coolest Small Towns

Vote now! We received 147 nominations and then selected 21 American towns that stand out from the crowd. Cast your ballot below, and feel free to defend your picks in our comments section.
How do we define 'Coolest Small Town'?
The town must have a population under 10,000—we're talking small towns, not big cities. It's also got to be on the upswing, a place that's beginning to draw attention—and new residents—because of the quality of life, arts and restaurant scene, or proximity to nature. And cool doesn't mean quaint. We want towns with an edge, so think avant-garde galleries, not country stores.
 Submit a photo of your town | Submit a video of your town
Let Us Get a Word In…

Vote before the poll closes on May 9, and then spread the word. And if you can spare the time, upload photos and videos of the restaurants, galleries, shops, and natural settings that make your town the coolest in the country. Remember that we're looking for towns with a little bit of an edge, more avant-garde than quaint. To take a look at cool small towns from previous years, read our lists from 2007, 2008 and 2009.

You can check the October issue of Budget Travel magazine to see if any reader favorites made the editors' final cut.

We're looking for pics of these Coolest Small Towns. We're especially interested in shots of downtowns, well-regarded restaurants, stores, galleries, and unique local features—a local artistic installation, for example, or a lake or river that gives the town more character. The best of the lot will be featured below.

Comments: Defend Your Choices (And Tell Us What We Missed)

Add your comment to America's Coolest Small Towns (Log In or Register)

A Coolest Small Town is a town of under 10,000 residents that's beginning to draw attention—and new residents—because of the quality of life, arts, and restaurant scene, or proximity to nature. We want towns with an edge, so think avant-garde galleries, not country stores. If you voted, let us know why you made your choice. And if we missed a town, give us a heads up so we can add it to next year's list.

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