Chicago is one of the worst-run cities in US, study finds
CHICAGO - Chicago is ranked as one of the worst-run cities in the United States, according to a new study, while one of its suburbs is positioned near the top of the list.
To determine the best and worst, WalletHub compared 148 of the most populated cities across six key categories: financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure and pollution.
The study also evaluated the effectiveness of local leadership by calculating a "Quality of City Services" score – aiming to show how well city leaders manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of the services residents receive against the city's total budget.
San Francisco ranked 148th – the bottom of the list. Chicago came in at 137th, while Aurora ranked 28th. Nampa, Idaho, received the best ranking.
Top 30 Best-Run Cities in America:
- Nampa, ID
- Lexington-Fayette, KY
- Boise, ID
- Nashua, NH
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Durham, NC
- Provo, UT
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Wichita, KS
- Raleigh, NC
- Columbus, GA
- Warwick, RI
- Las Cruces, NM
- Missoula, MT
- Billings, MT
- Huntington, WV
- Manchester, NH
- Bismarck, ND
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Madison, WI
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Lincoln, NE
- Mesa, AZ
- Rapid City, SD
- Greensboro, NC
- Aurora, IL
- Tulsa, OK
- Warren, MI
Bottom of the List:
137. Chicago, IL
138. Philadelphia, PA
139. Los Angeles, CA
140. Detroit, MI
141. Denver, CO
142. Tacoma, WA
143. Cleveland, OH
144. Flint, MI
145. New York, NY
146. Gulfport, MS
147. Oakland, CA
148. San Francisco, CA
To conduct the study, WalletHub pulled data from several sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Moody's Investors Service, GreatSchools.org, County Health Rankings, Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Zillow, The Road Information Program, Center for Neighborhood Technology, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Walk Score, The Trust for Public Land, INRIX, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Numbeo, and WalletHub research.
To check out the full study, click HERE.
Meanwhile, a separate study conducted by GoBankingRates named this Chicago suburb as the "safest and most affordable" city in the United States.