In light of the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide civil unrest, the personal-finance and data experts at WalletHub released their annual report on local leadership and operating efficiency.
The report — 2020’s Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America — compared 150 of the largest U.S. cities on how well city officials manage and spend public funds and — at the same time — provide quality service to residents while balancing the city’s total budget.
WalletHub constructed a “Quality of Services” score made up of 38 metrics grouped into six service categories, which was then measured against the city’s per-capita budget
Worcester ranked #49 out of 150 cities studied, earning top-100 scores in each category: financial stability (93), education (95), health (36), safety (37), economy (73), and infrastructure and pollution (44).
Worcester ranked better than both Springfield (#57) and Boston (#65) in WalletHub’s overall ranking.
To see how Worcester compared to the rest of New England and other major cities, scroll the map below.
| Top 20 Best-Run Cities in America | |
| 1. Nampa, ID | 11. Sioux Falls, SD |
| 2. Boise, ID | 12. Greensboro, NC |
| 3. Provo, UT | 13. Lewiston, ME |
| 4. Las Cruces, NM | 14. Cedar Rapids, IA |
| 5. Durham, NC | 15. Billings, MT |
| 6. Lexington-Fayette, KY | 16. Chesapeake, VA |
| 7. Missoula, MT | 17. Columbus, GA |
| 8. Fort Wayne, IN | 18. Huntington Beach, CA |
| 9. Virginia Beach, VA | 19. Rapid City, SD |
| 10. Nashua, NH | 20. Oklahoma City, OK |
