By comparing the operating efficiency of 149 of the largest U.S. cities, experts at WalletHub, the personal finance firm, have come up with a score for which ones are managed best.
The U.S. has over 100,000 cities and towns, including 317 that have a population over 100,000. Everybody has a favorite, but which ones operate the most efficiently? That’s the question WalletHub, the personal finance firm, set out to answer. They wanted to learn how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of services residents receive against the city’s total budget.
Looking at 149 big and small cities in the country, researchers were able to quantify the complexities of city management. They constructed a “Quality of Services” score made up of 36 metrics grouped into six service categories, which was then measured against the city’s per capita budget.
The result? The city of Nampa, Idaho, came out with the highest score, followed by Lexington, Ky.; Nashua, N.H.; and Boise. At the bottom of the list were New York City, Chattanooga and San Francisco.
governing.com
by Governing News Staff
June 23, 2023