Small City Guide is an independent relocation-research project. We help people decide where to move by turning official government data into clear, practical guides on what it actually costs to live in small and mid-sized US cities.
How we research
Every city guide is built on verifiable figures, not guesswork. Our core source is the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, which we pair with current local housing listings. Each guide shows its sources and the date it was last reviewed. See our methodology for the full detail.
Editorial standards
- We cite the source and year for the data we publish.
- We update guides as new Census releases come out.
- We name real tradeoffs and downsides, not just the good parts.
- Drafts are research-assisted but human-reviewed before publishing.
Who writes this
Our guides are written and edited under the byline Jordan Reese, the editorial voice of Small City Guide. The focus is simple: take the public data most people never dig into, and explain what a given median income, home price, or rent really means for someone deciding whether a city fits their budget and life.
Questions or corrections? Reach us via the contact page.