Americas worst small towns revealed - and its bad news for California

Americas worst small town has been revealed, with California towns consistently ranking at the bottom.

A recent WalletHub analysis ranked more than 1,300 small towns with populations between 25,000 to 100,000 across the United States - and determined that Isla Vista, California, just north of Santa Barbara, is the worst.

It had some of the worst affordability and economic health scores, with a high percentage of the population in poverty, and has some of the lowest homeownership rates.

Other cities in California also fared poorly in the survey, which considered 45 different metrics from housing costs to job growth, to education and even the number of restaurants per capita.

Wasco, northeast of Bakersfield, which has a population of about 25,000, ranked third worst on the list - scoring only slightly better than Isla Vista on affordability, but worse on categories like safety and quality of life.

Isla Vista, California, just north of Santa Barbara, was ranked the worst small town in America

When looking at individual metrics, Bell Gardens, West Hollywood and Isla Vista had the lowest affordability scores out of the towns analyzed.

Maywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Huntington Park were also on the bottom 10, placing several cities in highly-populated Los Angeles County among the worst performers.

With that said, here are the towns that scored the best:

Isla Vista had some of the worst affordability and economic health scores, with a high percentage of the population in poverty, and has some of the lowest homeownership rates

1. Carmel, Indiana

Carmel, Indiana was rated the best small city to live in, with one of the lowest unemployment rates at just 3 percent.

It also has the 33rd lowest cost of rent as a share of median household income at around 14 percent, and its median annual household income is nearly $133,000 - the 110th highest out of more than 1,300 cities.

Carmel also boasts a low unemployment rate and high incomes, with the fourth-lowest share of adults in fair or poor health.

It has the 23rd lowest premature death rate in the country, the fourth-lowest pedestrian fatality rate, and the 75th lowest violent crime rate.

2. Brookfield, Wisconsin

Brookfield, Wisconsin was ranked the second-best small city to live in with a 3 percent unemployment rate and the 96th highest homeownership rate, along with the 11th best median credit score.

It has the fifth lowest share of residents in fair or poor health, and over 98 percent of the population having health insurance.

It also has the 31st lowest violent crime rate and the 19th lowest pedestrian fatality rate in the country. 

Carmel, Indiana was rated the best small city to live in, with one of the lowest unemployment rates at just 3 percent

3. Lexington, Massachusetts

Lexington, Massachusetts was rated the third-best small city to live in, with the fourth-lowest property crime rate and the 37th lowest violent crime rate.

It has one of the fewest car crash deaths in the country, and one of hihgest median annual household incomes at over $206,000.

Lexington also benefits from Massachusetts having the best school system in the country.

It has the second-highest percentage of people with health insurance, the eighth-lowest share of adults in poor or faith health and the 22nd most fitness centers per capita.