This North Carolina city ranks as one of the nation’s best-run places. Here’s why
A North Carolina city rose up the rankings, again landing on a list of the most well-run places in the nation.
After falling out of the top 10 in 2023, Durham now ranks No. 6 on a list of cities with the most effective leaders, according to the personal finance website WalletHub.
And another North Carolina city wasn’t far behind in 2024’s rankings. Raleigh landed just outside the top 10 at No. 11, results show.
“We can learn how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of the services residents receive against the city’s total budget,” the website wrote in its June 18 report. “Using that approach, WalletHub compared the operating efficiency of 148 of the largest U.S. cities to reveal which among them are managed best.”
To create its list of best-run cities, WalletHub said it examined data from the federal government and other sources. The website evaluated each city’s “total budget per capita” and considered six metrics related to the “quality of city services”: financial stability, education, economy, health, safety, and infrastructure and pollution.
What makes Durham stand out?
Among the 148 cities, Durham ranked No. 20 for “total budget per capita” and No. 16 for “quality of city services.”
Within the city services category, Durham ranked No. 4 for financial stability, a measure of the “city credit rating” and outstanding debt.
The Bull City also made its mark when it came to education and the economy. Those categories weighed the quality of schools, job growth, unemployment, home values and other data points.
But Durham was one of the lowest-ranking places when it came to another category: pollution and infrastructure. The city landed at No. 138 after analysts considered several factors, including transportation, traffic congestion and water quality.
So, how did other North Carolina cities fare in the rankings? Greensboro held the No. 27 spot while Charlotte stood at No. 113.
Across the country, WalletHub said the best-run city was Nampa, Idaho, a roughly 20-mile drive west from Boise.
