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Demi-Ashland,OR-Plaza-EW-20050305Ashland, OR, #1 on this list · Photo: Demi~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0
United States · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in America

Ashland, OR and Marquette, MI share first place on civic life among 4,438 U.S. towns and cities of 10,000+ residents.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. The state rank sits beside each letter. How grades work

#T1

Ashland, OR

Jackson County · 20,889 people
A+

Among the top in the U.S.·#2 of 106 in Oregon

#T1

Marquette, MI

Marquette County · 21,944 people
A+

Among the top in the U.S.·#2 of 697 in Michigan

#T3

Decatur, GA

DeKalb County · 25,276 people
A+

Among the top in the U.S.·#1 of 222 in Georgia

The top 100

Of 4,438 towns and cities of 10,000+ graded on civic life. Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied). Each state rank links to that state’s full list.

100 towns. Every graded town is on its state’s list.

#TownGrade · state rankCompared with U.S. towns
T1Ashland, ORJackson County · 20,889 peopleA+#2 of 106 in ORamong the top in the U.S.
T1Marquette, MIMarquette County · 21,944 peopleA+#2 of 697 in MIamong the top in the U.S.
T3Decatur, GADeKalb County · 25,276 peopleA+#1 of 222 in GAamong the top in the U.S.
T3Port Townsend, WAJefferson County · 10,678 peopleA+#2 of 152 in WAamong the top in the U.S.
5Madison, INJefferson County · 12,304 peopleA+#1 of 571 in INamong the top in the U.S.
6Ithaca, NY College campusTompkins County · 33,632 peopleA+#4 of 751 in NYamong the top in the U.S.
T7Wheeling, WVOhio County · 25,680 peopleA+#3 of 48 in WVamong the top in the U.S.
T7Worthington, OHFranklin County · 14,543 peopleA+#7 of 914 in OHamong the top in the U.S.
T9Athens, OH College campusAthens County · 25,313 peopleA+#8 of 914 in OHamong the top in the U.S.
T9Wasilla, AKMatanuska-Susitna Borough · 10,556 peopleA+#4 of 17 in AKamong the top in the U.S.
T11Brattleboro, VTWindham County · 11,872 peopleA+#3 of 71 in VTamong the top in the U.S.
T11El Dorado, ARUnion County · 16,609 peopleA+#1 of 114 in ARamong the top in the U.S.
T11Paradise, CAButte County · 10,023 peopleA+#8 of 448 in CAamong the top in the U.S.
T11Sharon Township, OHFranklin County · 16,863 peopleA+#11 of 914 in OHamong the top in the U.S.
15Northampton, MAHampshire County · 31,047 peopleA+#4 of 283 in MAamong the top in the U.S.
T16Magnolia, ARColumbia County · 10,660 peopleA+#2 of 114 in ARamong the top in the U.S.
T16Marinette, WIMarinette County · 11,168 peopleA+#3 of 358 in WIamong the top in the U.S.
18Asheville, NCBuncombe County · 93,523 peopleA+#1 of 234 in NCamong the top in the U.S.
T19Danville, KYBoyle County · 17,736 peopleA+#1 of 126 in KYbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T19Newport, ORLincoln County · 10,383 peopleA+#4 of 106 in ORbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T21Athens Township, OHAthens County · 31,531 peopleA+#15 of 914 in OHbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T21Glens Falls, NYWarren County · 14,383 peopleA+#7 of 751 in NYbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T21Vincennes, INKnox County · 16,378 peopleA+#10 of 571 in INbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
24Grass Valley, CANevada County · 14,035 peopleA+#10 of 448 in CAbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
25Stillwater, MNWashington County · 19,354 peopleA+#4 of 271 in MNbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T26Bozeman, MTGallatin County · 58,814 peopleA+#4 of 28 in MTbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T26Cedarburg, WIOzaukee County · 12,916 peopleA+#8 of 358 in WIbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T26Port Angeles, WAClallam County · 20,146 peopleA+#3 of 152 in WAbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
29Beverly Hills, MIOakland County · 10,449 peopleA+#15 of 697 in MIbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T30Arcata, CAHumboldt County · 19,047 peopleA+#11 of 448 in CAbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T30Bainbridge Island, WAKitsap County · 24,691 peopleA+#4 of 152 in WAbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T30Bexley, OHFranklin County · 12,452 peopleA+#18 of 914 in OHbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
T30Greensburg, INDecatur County · 12,315 peopleA+#13 of 571 in INbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
34Escanaba, MIDelta County · 12,257 peopleA+#18 of 697 in MIbetter than 98% of U.S. towns
35Frankfort, KYFranklin County · 28,657 peopleA+#2 of 126 in KYbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T36Madison Township, INJefferson County · 18,077 peopleA+#16 of 571 in INbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T36Midland, MIMidland County · 42,806 peopleA+#20 of 697 in MIbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T36Sudbury, MAMiddlesex County · 19,643 peopleA+#10 of 283 in MAbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
39Olympia, WAThurston County · 56,724 peopleA+#6 of 152 in WAbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T40Haddonfield, NJCamden County · 12,740 peopleA+#1 of 466 in NJbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T40Washington Township, INDecatur County · 14,073 peopleA+#20 of 571 in INbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
42Kearney, MOClay County · 11,296 peopleA+#4 of 229 in MObetter than 97% of U.S. towns
43Defiance, OHDefiance County · 17,009 peopleA+#24 of 914 in OHbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
44Truckee, CANevada County · 17,278 peopleA+#14 of 448 in CAbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T45Ithaca, NYTompkins County · 20,670 peopleA+#14 of 751 in NYbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T45Morro Bay, CASan Luis Obispo County · 10,613 peopleA+#15 of 448 in CAbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T45Southfield Township, MIOakland County · 14,671 peopleA+#23 of 697 in MIbetter than 97% of U.S. towns
T48Cortland, NYCortland County · 17,394 peopleA+#16 of 751 in NYbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T48Granville Township, OHLicking County · 10,701 peopleA+#26 of 914 in OHbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T50Boulder, COBoulder County · 105,689 peopleA+#5 of 104 in CObetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T50Tahlequah, OKCherokee County · 17,508 peopleA+#3 of 128 in OKbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T52Chesterton, INPorter County · 14,635 peopleA+#24 of 571 in INbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T52Concord, MAMiddlesex County · 18,208 peopleA+#16 of 283 in MAbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T52Jackson, WYTeton County · 10,720 peopleA+#4 of 24 in WYbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
55Stoughton, WIDane County · 13,256 peopleA+#15 of 358 in WIbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T56Greenfield, MAFranklin County · 17,691 peopleA+#17 of 283 in MAbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T56Vincennes Township, INKnox County · 21,431 peopleA+#25 of 571 in INbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
58Bloomington, INMonroe County · 83,307 peopleA+#26 of 571 in INbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
59Bloomington Township, IN College campusMonroe County · 46,702 peopleA+#28 of 571 in INbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T60Berkeley, CAAlameda County · 121,911 peopleA+#18 of 448 in CAbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T60Mill Valley, CAMarin County · 13,799 peopleA+#17 of 448 in CAbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T60River Forest, ILCook County · 11,393 peopleA+#17 of 754 in ILbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T63Oneonta, NYOtsego County · 15,665 peopleA+#23 of 751 in NYbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T63Rochester Township, INFulton County · 10,001 peopleA+#32 of 571 in INbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T65Ada, OKPontotoc County · 16,660 peopleA+#5 of 128 in OKbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T65Brunswick, MECumberland County · 23,055 peopleA+#14 of 143 in MEbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T65Paducah, KYMcCracken County · 26,730 peopleA+#3 of 126 in KYbetter than 96% of U.S. towns
T68Cody, WYPark County · 10,377 peopleA+#6 of 24 in WYbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T68Collingswood, NJCamden County · 14,386 peopleA+#4 of 466 in NJbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T68Defiance Township, OHDefiance County · 13,305 peopleA+#34 of 914 in OHbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T71Beacon, NYDutchess County · 14,931 peopleA+#25 of 751 in NYbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T71Corvallis, ORBenton County · 61,499 peopleA+#14 of 106 in ORbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T71Red Hook, NYDutchess County · 11,129 peopleA+#24 of 751 in NYbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T74Fulton, MOCallaway County · 12,853 peopleA+#13 of 229 in MObetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T74Glen Rock, NJBergen County · 12,288 peopleA+#5 of 466 in NJbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T74Weston, CT10,517 peopleA+#6 of 155 in CTbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T74Whitefish Bay, WIMilwaukee County · 14,489 peopleA+#17 of 358 in WIbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T78Lake Forest, ILLake County · 19,731 peopleA+#20 of 754 in ILbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T78Newburyport, MAEssex County · 19,148 peopleA+#20 of 283 in MAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Ann Arbor, MIWashtenaw County · 122,233 peopleA#39 of 697 in MIbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Charleston, WVKanawha County · 46,117 peopleA#9 of 48 in WVbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Juneau, AKJuneau City and Borough · 31,609 peopleA#9 of 17 in AKbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Norwell, MAPlymouth County · 11,546 peopleA#22 of 283 in MAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Rockport, TXAransas County · 11,348 peopleA#8 of 539 in TXbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T80Waverly, IABremer County · 10,561 peopleA#14 of 138 in IAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T86Alpena, MIAlpena County · 10,088 peopleA#41 of 697 in MIbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T86Portland, MECumberland County · 69,911 peopleA#16 of 143 in MEbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T86Tehachapi, CAKern County · 11,852 peopleA#20 of 448 in CAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
89Zionsville, INBoone County · 33,624 peopleA#37 of 571 in INbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T90Ada Township, MIKent County · 14,769 peopleA#42 of 697 in MIbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T90Atchison, KSAtchison County · 10,789 peopleA#7 of 149 in KSbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T90Boone, IABoone County · 12,471 peopleA#15 of 138 in IAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T90Missoula, MTMissoula County · 78,903 peopleA#7 of 28 in MTbetter than 95% of U.S. towns
T94Connersville, INFayette County · 13,406 peopleA#38 of 571 in INbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
T94Sandpoint, IDBonner County · 10,645 peopleA#3 of 54 in IDbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
96Acton, MAMiddlesex County · 24,786 peopleA#24 of 283 in MAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
T97Ferndale, WAWhatcom County · 17,559 peopleA#7 of 152 in WAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
T97Greencastle Township, INPutnam County · 12,807 peopleA#41 of 571 in INbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
T97Oak Park, ILCook County · 52,823 peopleA#23 of 754 in ILbetter than 94% of U.S. towns
T100Clayton, MOSt. Louis County · 17,807 peopleA#19 of 229 in MObetter than 94% of U.S. towns
Quick answers

Questions people ask

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. The national list starts at 10,000 residents; state lists start at 2,500. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

This page shows the top 100 of 4,438 towns of 10,000+ with a civic life grade. Every town of 2,500+ is ranked on its state’s list, and smaller towns show the grade on their own page.

Other states

Towns with the most civic life, state by state

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