Ames IA

Photo Courtesy of Christopher Gannon/Iowa State University

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

#7. Ames, IA

Last year, drivers in Iowa were dubbed the best drivers in the nation, so it makes sense that it would also be in the top ten states for shortest commutes. Commuters spend an average of 15 minutes on their way to and from work in Ames — a whole 10 minutes less than the national average.

A tight-knit city anchored by Iowa State University, Ames is ranked as one of the nation’s top college towns and earned the #33 spot on Livability’s list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live this year. Like Birmingham, Ames is also an up-and-coming tech hotspot and one of the best cities in the nation for job seekers. It’s a top city for entrepreneurs thanks to its proximity to the research university, affordable living costs and its high-wage job growth.

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