1. Ames, Iowa
Population: 92,406
College: Iowa State University
Scoring the top spot overall, Ames also ranks number one for the lowest cost of living, not including rent. Low rent and easy access to Iowa’s capital of Des Moines also add to this town’s appeal. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the town had the lowest unemployment rate of any city in America at 2.5 percent in January 2016.
