Here's a complete list of all 148 cities from WalletHub's "Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America in 2026" ranking (published June 16, 2026), along with a deep-dive summary suitable for your blog post.
Full Ranking (Overall Rank 1 = Best-Run)
The ranking balances Quality of City Services (36 metrics across financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, infrastructure & pollution) against Total Budget per Capita. Lower budget per capita with strong services = better efficiency.
- Provo, UT
- Nampa, ID
- Manchester, NH
- Boise, ID
- Nashua, NH
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Lincoln, NE
- Mesa, AZ
- Las Cruces, NM
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Mobile, AL
- Dover, DE
- Chesapeake, VA
- Warwick, RI
- Durham, NC
- Jacksonville, FL
- Lexington-Fayette, KY
- Missoula, MT
- Raleigh, NC
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Columbus, GA
- Madison, WI
- Bismarck, ND
- Wichita, KS
- Grand Rapids, MI 28. Topeka, KS
- Tallahassee, FL
- Rapid City, SD
- Portland, ME
- Billings, MT
- Knoxville, TN
- Greensboro, NC
- Warren, MI
- Lubbock, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Huntington Beach, CA
- Arlington, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Worcester, MA
- Lewiston, ME
- Omaha, NE
- Louisville, KY
- Gulfport, MS
- El Paso, TX
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Huntington, WV
- Garland, TX
- Montgomery, AL
- Anchorage, AK
- Charlotte, NC
- Fargo, ND
- Casper, WY
- Tulsa, OK
- Albuquerque, NM
- Aurora, IL
- Austin, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- Tucson, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- Salem, OR
- Burlington, VT
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Fort Smith, AR
- Rutland, VT
- Reno, NV
- Providence, RI
- Bridgeport, CT
- Fairbanks, AK
- Miami, FL
- Hialeah, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Minneapolis, MN
- Little Rock, AR
- Spokane, WA
- Columbus, OH
- Cheyenne, WY
- Norfolk, VA
- Orlando, FL
- Syracuse, NY
- Akron, OH
- Richmond, VA
- St. Paul, MN
- Fremont, CA
- Des Moines, IA
- Memphis, TN
- Columbia, SC
- Toledo, OH
- Aurora, CO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Frederick, MD
- Dallas, TX
- Gary, IN
- Kansas City, KS
- Kansas City, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- New Haven, CT
- Nashville, TN
- Buffalo, NY
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Boston, MA
- Dayton, OH
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Atlanta, GA
- San Diego, CA
- Cincinnati, OH
- Jackson, MS
- Yonkers, NY
- Modesto, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Portland, OR
- Houston, TX
- Anaheim, CA
- Springfield, MA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Charleston, WV
- St. Louis, MO
- Rochester, NY
- Wilmington, DE
- Bakersfield, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- San Jose, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Hartford, CT
- Seattle, WA
- Riverside, CA
- Shreveport, LA
- Flint, MI
- Cleveland, OH
- Denver, CO
- Los Angeles, CA
- Stockton, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- Tacoma, WA
- Long Beach, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Philadelphia, PA
- Chicago, IL
- Oakland, CA
- New York, NY
- Detroit, MI
- San Francisco, CA (worst)
Topeka, KS ranks a solid 28th overall — respectable, especially for a mid-sized Midwest city. It places 89th in Quality of City Services but a strong 16th in (lower) Total Budget per Capita, showing efficiency in stretching limited resources.
Deep Dive Summary
WalletHub evaluated 148 largest U.S. cities by comparing the quality of public services delivered against per-capita budgets. This measures how efficiently local governments operate amid challenges like inflation, public safety, and infrastructure needs.
Key Methodology Highlights:
- Quality of Services: 36 metrics in 6 categories (Financial Stability, Education, Health, Safety, Economy, Infrastructure & Pollution).
- Budget Efficiency: Lower per-capita spending that still delivers strong outcomes wins.
- Top performers often feature low debt, strong education/economic metrics, safety, and infrastructure — with fiscal prudence.
Top 5 Insights:
- 1. Provo, UT: Excels with ~3.1% business growth, ~91% high school graduation rate, low crime (7th-lowest violent, 8th-lowest property), good roads, short commutes, and low congestion. Strong future foundation.
- 2. Nampa, ID: Extremely low government debt (~$902 per capita), very safe (2nd-lowest property crime), high business growth, low poverty, strong internet access.
- 3. Manchester, NH: Low air pollution, strong home value growth, low poverty, safe, low traffic/unemployment.
- Many top cities are in the Mountain West, Midwest, or Northeast — often smaller/mid-sized with lower costs and focused governance.
- Bottom cities (e.g., San Francisco, Detroit, New York) struggle with high budgets, debt, crime, or poor outcomes in services despite resources.
Notable Highlights Across Metrics (great for blog angles):
- Lowest Long-Term Debt per Capita: Casper, WY; Nampa, ID; etc. (vs. high in Atlanta, Oakland, SF). 65x difference between best/worst.
- High School Graduation: Frederick, MD; Austin, TX top. SF at bottom.
- Violent Crime: Worcester, MA; Virginia Beach top performers.
- Unemployment: Several tied low (e.g., Sioux Falls, Madison); Flint, MI worst (9x spread).
- Income & Poverty: Fremont, CA dominates high income/low poverty; Gary, IN/Flint bottom.
- Roads & Pollution: Big California cities often lag on infrastructure/pollution.
Relevance to Topeka / Kansas Readers:
- Topeka at #28 outperforms many larger peers (e.g., ahead of Wichita #26? Wait, Wichita is 26th, Topeka 28th — very close). It beats Kansas City (MO #99, KS #98) and many big metros. This highlights effective budget management in a lower-cost environment.
- Nearby/Regional: Lincoln NE (#9), Omaha (#43), Oklahoma City (#12), Tulsa (#56), etc.
- Lessons for local advocacy: Prioritize low debt, education outcomes, safety, and infrastructure efficiency — areas where mid-sized cities like Topeka can shine without massive budgets.
This study underscores that effective governance isn't about spending the most — it's about delivering results prudently. Top cities demonstrate strong planning, safety, and economic foundations that make them attractive for families and businesses. Great fodder for discussions on local policy, development, and why places like Provo or Boise pull ahead.
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