The Travel released its list of the 10 Happiest Small Towns in America for 2024. To figure out which towns are indeed the happiest, the website used a variety of metrics, including a community’s population, household income, median property value, education, and crime statistics. And when all was said and done, it named the town of White Rock its No. 1 pick.
The website noted that the town boasts an astonishingly low unemployment rate at just 3.1 percent, almost a full point lower than the national average. The town also has a 3 percent lower cost of living than the national average, making it a statistically great place to call home. But it truly goes well beyond just great numbers.
Felton called out the town’s Bandelier National Monument as a must-see destination, where guests can explore ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings and hit its expansive network of hiking trails, along with White Rock Overlook Park, which gives stunning views of the Rio Grande and the Jemez Mountains. Felton also says the town has a rather fantastic culinary scene, including Pig + Fig Café. (This establishment won its own accolade: it was named in TravelAwaits’ list of 15 Best Small-Town Restaurants in 2021.)
The town was joined by a few other quaint communities, including Sugarcreek, Ohio in second, followed by Tybee Island, Georgia; New Harmony, Indiana; and Eureka Springs, Arkansas, rounding out the top five.
