UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#5. Muncie, IN
4 beds, 2.5 baths, 3,289 square feet, $240,000
Listing agent: Annette Caldwell, Coldwell Banker
Muncie’s a classic college town made famous by David Letterman, who went to school at Ball State University here, and Bob Ross, who was filmed making his happy little tree paintings in a studio in town. It’s also a great place for families. Check out Minnetrista, a 40-acre campus that includes public gardens, an art museum, play areas, and historic homes to explore, plus plenty of educational programming and classes for kids and adults. When the weather’s nice, there’s also the Tuhey Park pool and splash pad and the 62-mile Cardinal Greenway, an epic cycling path that bisects Muncie. Make it home in this 1931 Tudor-style home, with a sunroom with built-in bookshelves!