10 Best Small Towns You Never Heard Of.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Do you live in a nice small town?

[@joeydryoel3866]

I would love to see a video including the Quad Cities someday!!

[@CCaraway]

I live in a county full of great small towns and communities. In Avery County N.C. you have.... Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Crossnore, Elk Park, Newland, Seven Deviils and Sugar Mountain which are all called towns. All but Crossnore have there own small police force. All have small fire departments and other individual services. Their are also communities like Linville, Pineolla and Green Valley. All of these places make up a wonderful place to live with a great small town atmosphere. We are known for a few things like southern ski slopes in the winter, the highest town east of the Mississippi (Beech Mountain) and being the Christmas Tree growing capital of the world but... to find a Walmart or even a movie theater you have to drive to the neighboring county where you will find Boone N.C.

[@tyeteames7192]

I don't know how you do it! I very much appreciate and enjoy your videos. Thank you.

[@darlawittmier1793]

You should visit Quincy, CA. I think it's around a population is about 5000. This is a mountain town and it's really pretty. They even has a small plane airport and no Starbucks. There are no fast food chain stores there. They have all the small town stores. I worked there as a nurse. It's gorgeous. It's also a logging town

[@karlfonner7589]

He has mentioned it.

[@r.mucklin1703]

Population of Quincy is only half of what is stated above. It's a lovely little town, with only two stop lights, an efficient small hospital, one-lane bridges where people wait for you to use it and give you a friendly wave as you go by, and it's surrounded by National Forest land with lots of recreational opportunities. In fact, California has many nice small towns, mostly on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and in the northern part of the state.

[@davidmandelstamm8725]

Many decades ago, my wife and I went on summer vacation in that area... Graeagle/Blairsden (even smaller than Quincy)!

[@tommcdonald1873]

I grew up east of Wolfeboro. It has never lost its charm. The Wright Museum is a must visit.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Amazing small town.

[@tommcdonald1873]

@@WorldAccordingToBriggs Your analysis of Wolfeborough is spot on. John Wentworth the last colonial governor who made the town his summer rest area had to get away from Portsmouth. A different town then today's small city coastal paradise.

[@FelisStella-HappyStar]

Thank you so much for this, Briggs. We need more positivity on the tube, even if it doesn't get as many clicks, unfortunately. These lists are even more helpful than the negative lists. I've never heard of any of these towns and might consider moving to one of them down the line! More please 🙏

[@realgamerguyvlog32]

We occasionally go to Shipshewana for the Blue Gate restaurant, and last year we saw Styx here

[@DiscoverTop10_q2b]

The small town is wonderful

[@SwampSquatch70]

I live about about 20 minutes from Natchitoches. Like Briggs stated the Red River is nearby. The Cane River runs through the historic downtown. There is a kayak rental there on the riverfront. They also have carriage rides in the downtown area. For Christmas the whole downtown is lit up with lights.

[@davidmandelstamm8725]

And I've heard that "Steel Magnolias" was filmed in Natchitoches!

[@dessiesolomonjr-nl6zl]

I've heard of Marietta, OH, it's close to Athens, OH where Ohio University is located

[@akgobears]

Shipshewana is a neat little place...Went to the Amish flee market there and an Amish market called Yodders....Even had my very first Woopie Pie there....Being from the west coast its a nice different kind of experience....

[@curlyg9925]

I love hearing about hidden gems you never hear of Keep making these

[@Jesusiscominglive777]

Thanks for the terrific video. I live with the Amish in Crossville Tennessee in the mountain's & love it! The nicest people live here!🫡🙏❤️🤍💙

[@susanswindell236]

We have visited Shipshewana IN twice. Very charming. The first time we went was on Flea Market day and too crowded so the second time we made sure to go on a non-flea market day.

[@JHixon-bi8ok]

Several truly worthwhile small towns: Russell, Kansas….Hays, Kansas and Lawrence , Kansas. Been there. Loved it. Terrific people, laid back lifestyle, beautiful wide open spaces.

[@augiegirl1]

Lawrence is NOT SMALL; it’s the 6th largest city in Kansas & its population is more than 96,000!

[@JHixon-bi8ok]

“Large” and “small” are relative terms. I have spent most of my life living in urban areas with populations of 1 million to 3 million residents. Compared to that, 96,000 seems small. P.S. I loved my visit to Lawrence, KS. It’s a great place. @@augiegirl1

[@Meandmymirror]

I’m in Kansas City. Agree about the small towns around here

[@robertg.9964]

Born, raised and still living in New England, I know the places you listed quite well. Use to go to Wolfboro for Off Shore Boat Racing on lake Wini, I go thru Compton on my way to Newport to hang out with Jay Leno (not really, but he has a home there now), attended college in VT hanging out with friends in Shelburne boating on Lake Champlain. Where else can you live and have a total change in scenery in 1.5 hrs? From beautiful Beaches, ski mountains, lakes, hiking trails, snowmobiling, fishing inland or ocean, to having a true 4 season year (5th season up north, Mud season) and having Boston as a major sports hub city?! Born here, will die here. Love my little corner of the US.

[@smark9455]

Great video Briggs! One question: Why was Fairhope, AL excluded from this list?

[@katefarrington3283]

My husband and I saw fairhope in a peter santenello documentary. Now we want to move there.

[@Manlopsan2]

My home town in south Spain is nowadays 23 habitants…. I love goin there on the weekends and enjoy nature and silence.

[@Weather_Nerd]

Sounds awesome, Spain is beautiful I hope to see some of it one day! Take care

[@kennethgardner3090]

This sounds so good to me.

[@Manlopsan2]

@@Weather_Nerd it is beautiful, nice weather, good food, ….. it’s a must!

[@Manlopsan2]

@@kennethgardner3090 I would live there if I could, but my job requires me to be away. At least, it’s only 1,5 hours away by car.

[@maximilianzwicker1340]

Thanks!

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Thank you

[@jeffcastetter6122]

Shipshy or Shipshewana is nice. Lived nearby for a couple of years. Plenty of Amish!

[@dannylgriffin]

Pretty much all of Indiana is nice (a few exceptions). I only appreciated it after I moved away!

[@lindareyes6799]

Live near Shipshewana. Great small town

[@tecter100]

I live in Wessington Springs South Dakota, very small POP 760. It's great, I love it, likely too small for most but perfect for my Wife and I..

[@The_ashley23]

Anyone that wants to keep that small town vibe I'd shut up about your towns

[@drgreenthumb7757]

Too late! Muhahaha

[@randysetterberg4672]

"You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye." Eagles, circa 1976.

[@dinomite078]

lol

[@WayFario]

Great

[@user-sk5nq7dk6i]

Briggs, love these shorter, concise small town hidden gems. They are so informative. Please keep them around 15 minutes. Those hour or longer ones are too long. You are the Master of fitting in pertinent info. in a short time, frame. Please keep them coming.

[@Time4change-bthechange]

I appreciate your content… I think it would be helpful if you could include a map with city highlighted within the state to help visualize the location…. I always enjoy watching your videos… thank you for all the energy you invest in entertaining all of us… ☺️

[@proehm]

Shipshewana - The bedroom community outside the Goshen, Nappanee, Wakarusa Metroplex.😊

[@CaptRandall1]

Check out Spencer, Indiana for a very good small town. I grew up there and loved it, so peaceful. Very good school system . With a history going back to very early 1800's, it has a great deal to offer.

[@ladesigner8764]

downtown has really improved.

[@wandahall4435]

Great job Briggs ❤❤❤😮😮😮😊😊😊

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Thank you!! 😁

[@exploring-new-england]

Nice list! Being from New England I of course knew Wolfeboro, Little Compton and Shelburne. Beautiful cities, glad to see them mentioned.

[@DekeRadio]

The Damascus, VA area is a great little area. I've been researching retiring there. Thank you for this video.

[@marisahokefazi4735]

Been there. Seems to have grown massively in the past 20 years.

[@jukesd1597]

I live in a small University town in Eastern OK. Lovely! Lakes, rivers, cultural festivals, restaurants and shops/cafes, live music, too!!

[@colleenhouse7869]

Love Oklahoma, been there 3 times, everyone is so nice!

[@michelletidler6773]

Where at in Oklahoma. Lived here all my life. We love southeastern Oklahoma. I'd love to move there away from OKC.

[@justincarnes61]

Tahlequah?

[@ChadWright-ip8vm]

@@justincarnes61 That's my guess, too. I grew up there and went to college there. It meets that description perfectly!

[@michaeljoseph2798]

I live in upstate NY in a place called Knox in the Heldebergs but just down the mountain about 15 mins away is Altamont NY, a small town/village. I wouldn't expect it on a list like this because it lacks things like restaurants and shops, only a few to choose from but the village itself is very picturesque. The houses and properties are well kept and the people all seem so nice and family oriented. I love taking the family down there when the fair is in town or some event is going on. Its a beatiful place and your only 20 minutes from a city in every direction. It sits at the foot of the Heldebergs and is beautiful especially in Fall time. I hope it makes it on a list someday with some nice pics for folks to see. Great video as always Briggs!

[@juleswins3]

I nearly fell out of my chair when Briggs actually had something good to say about Louisiana but then I did fall out of my chair when Davis, Oklahoma was #1! I’m an Oklahoma resident and go through Davis frequently. It isn’t nearly as picturesque as New Hampshire or Virginia but if you like laidback and minding your own business, it could be the place.

[@AngelaMastrodonato]

We recently visited Oklahoma and stayed in OKC. We drove around a bit though and put some miles on the rental car. We visited the Wichita Mountains wildlife refuge one day and another day we went to Elk City, Oklahoma. We didn’t have a chance to see Davis Oklahoma but consider Elk City a nice smallish town. It’s a little bigger than Davis, but is probably considered smaller with a population of around 11,000.

[@fantym-1]

It's quite a nice area - if you aren't a woman of reproductive age or LGBT+

[@tg426]

Wolfeboro, been there many times and love it but only in the summer, winters can be rough. Many great towns around Winniepesaukee. 😊

[@bukboefidun9096]

I owned a home in Center Sandwich for many years. Wonderful town from On Golden Pond

[@Kim-J312]

I use to drive up to white mountains , and drive up through that area very pretty. To North Conway NH great ice climbing there 😊❤

[@swimmer8585]

Man you got cover Havre de Grace, MD. It’s a great little town, and it’s where Francis Scott Key got picked up by the British before he witnessed the Battle of Baltimore and wrote the star spangled banner. The whole town got burned in the War of 1812, it’s super haunted, and has tons of historic charm

[@anoldmantalksaboutlife]

Ferndale, CA. I drove through it last summer and it was love at first sight. As odd as it may sound, they have one of the greatest cemeteries you will find on the West Coast.

[@deirdre108]

I agree. I lived in Mendocino for several years and knew people in Ferndale. And it IS a great cemetery.

[@who2u333]

I'm just impressed that you pronounced Natchitoches correctly. Not many can. I lived there in 1990 while the movie Steel Magnolias was being filmed. It was a quaint little town back then and it sounds like it hasn't lost that.

[@larrybellucci4708]

I gave this video a thumbs up before even looking at it. His videos are that good!

[@alanhughes5868]

Agree!

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Thank you for the video!

[@anottens30]

You need to the small towns in the west because we do have small towns one I would recommend Ephraim Utah and Richfield Utah

[@wandap7832]

What is the population range for a small town? I recommend wellsboro pa

[@augiegirl1]

He said Natchitoches “almost is too big to be a small town” with a population of around 17,000.

[@sickofthissh]

I love your takes on places. I am thinking of Ohio. I attended Ohio Uninversity in the early 1980's. There was Marrietta and Nelsonville. Logan, Ohio, too. The highways came and that SE corner of Ohio tried to die. I think you may have answered my question of returning to Ohio. I want to so badly leave Jacksonville, FL. I do not want to die in my car.

[@jamesballard6564]

It gets cold in the winter and living wages are difficult to find.

[@GeneandRenee]

Would love to see an episode for those looking to retire to a small (under 5,000 population) town that is very walkable. Local grocery, a few local diners, churches, bookstore, hardware store etc. that locals can easily walk to. Saw some like this up in New Hampshire and Vermont but they were either at the national cost of living average or close to it. I know in some states there are small towns that are 15-20% under the national average. Would like to see a top 10 of these. Love your content!

[@randalmayeux8880]

Congratulations on pronouncing Natchitoches correctly! It's a really fun town. Two of my cousins went to Northwestern U, and that's how I got to know it at first. Having the college there gives a good mix of young people. One of my cousins moved back there years after he graduated. Not that it's peculiar to the town, but one evening my brother and I had stopped by my cousin's house to visit while on the way to Baton Rouge. We left about 9:00pm and just outside of town we encountered the thickest fog I have ever seen. It was so bad that I couldn't even see the end of the car hood. We had to creep along at about 5 mph, with me hanging out of the passenger side window so I could see the edge of the road. Anyone familiar with Louisiana roads knows that they are often flanked by deep ditches and have almost no shoulder to pull off on. Luckily we only encountered 4 other vehicles in the 15 miles or so that we had to travel before the fog eased up.

[@ErikSamys]

If you talk to anyone in the NW Indiana area and they all know about Shipshewana. It's a great little place to spend an afternoon or a weekend. They have a wonderful crafts festival there as well.

[@barrykirkby9626]

Haven't watched one of these marvelous vids in ages - I can see one of my trips from the UK doing a month of Jack Reacher style travel to some of these places. Oh for the dosh to be able to stay full time.

[@ClairenParkerontheRoad]

Thanks Briggs. I've never heard of these so super interesting.

[@timothymoorman7437]

A good time to visit Shipshewana is during livestock Auction day when the Amish buy and sell all the animals they raise including the massive work horses used to work the fields. Years ago it was Wednesday, but things change.

[@jillmorton3096]

I went to school in Wolfeboro. Its beautiful😊

[@vermontvoice13]

So glad to see Shelburne on this list. That’s where I’m from, right next to Burlington VT

[@ArmyBikerVet]

You could do one on Newport, Vermont. I lived there and it's gorgeous and a great place to live.

[@InnsmouthAdmiral]

I currently live and am from Abingdon VA. You pronounced it right every time. Everyone here pronounces it different every time they say it. Either ending in 'don' or 'ton' works.

[@martharunstheworld]

You're short-changing the west, Briggs. There are dozens (hundreds?) of amazing small towns in the west!!! And the plus, OPEN SPACE!!! Quincy, CA, Moab, Utah, Ashland, OR, Hood River, OR, Gardenville, NV - I could go on.....

[@andrewwanner6855]

Check out Delaware, Ohio. It's getting bigger due to proximity to Columbus, but it has a lot going on culturally.

[@facingthestrange]

Would love a video of states or cities with the largest number of alternative living communities, such as tiny homes, yurts, generational, Permaculture, etc.

[@michelletidler6773]

This would be very interesting. I'd love to hear it too.

[@BeyondtheRailz]

I just got home from visiting Honesdale Pennsylvania for the first time, and I love it.

[@jillwiegand4257]

Heard it's beautiful ❤️

[@BeyondtheRailz]

Got to go back. Beautiful isn't enough to describe it.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Good to hear Denzel. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@BeyondtheRailz]

The first most recognizable things I saw was the Hotel Wayne and Central Park with the Building where you had a conversation with the state senator

[@jameshaxby5434]

You should include state maps to show us what part of the state, and what county these towns are in.

[@InLikeFlynn21]

Gee…how about YOU do a little research yourself, if you’re that interested? You a Star Trek fan? 😂😂🤘

[@thedarkerarchery3553]

​@@InLikeFlynn21Geez. You a Trump fan? 🤣

[@keithsalvatore5550]

@@thedarkerarchery3553 Geez, do you shower with your 15 year old daughter like Biden? Trump won.

[@gigiis526]

@@thedarkerarchery3553 TDS on display. Sad that he lives in your head and you are a jerk to people you dont know.

[@Kane-mh1bp]

IAM PROUDLY ​@@thedarkerarchery3553

[@99999myk]

The smallest towns I really liked were: Lambertville, NJ, Frenchtown, NJ and Doylestown, PA

[@itsonlyapapermoon61]

Very expensive

[@rjb7569]

​@@itsonlyapapermoon61 Everything is expensive here in NJ.

[@dessiesolomonjr-nl6zl]

I passed through Shipshewana, Indiana on a bus going from Chicago to Cleveland

[@vancejones7698]

Marietta Ohio, pronounce the A. Grew up in that area, though on the proper side of the Ohio river, ie the WV side. Lots of history in that general area to include the Blennerhasset island just south of Parkersburg. The Blennerhassets were tied in with a certain Arron Burr. Love my home area.

[@TBDchannel777]

You are correct pronounce the A. Actually never heard it pronounced without it until Briggs said it. Awesome place, don't tell everyone. LOL

[@pongop]

Hawai'i! Interesting and cool video! Stars Hollow is the best small town, though!

[@ES-qu1jd]

The Snoopy shaved ice kit!!! Blast from the past! 😂😂

[@Meandmymirror]

Love shaved ice!

[@goodenoughgirl8102]

I finally found a place! Lol. Cedartown, GA. Population around 10k ish. Perfect as I’m in that sweet spot of far enough away and close enough to. 😬

[@Scot-ny8uh]

Keeping the name Little Compton would discourage people from moving there! Which is probably why they kept the towns name!

[@AngelaMastrodonato]

My husband says they should make T-shirts that say “Straight outta Little Compton”

[@blakecardin]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Scot-ny8uh]

@AngelaMastrodonato Your Husband's a genius!

[@gordonharris7020]

Briggs, you could consider Gambier, Ohio - the home of Kenyon College. We lived there for 3 years while my father earned his master's degree at Bexley Hall (now closed down,)

[@benadkins2544]

I'm from marietta, Ohio. Such a great hometown to grow up in. They use to have a sweetcorn festival.

[@ruqayyahcurtis7504]

Salisbury, Maryland, Berlin, Md. Deal Island, Md., Lewes, Delaware(Beach town)Ocean city, Md.These are some great small towns. Some are Beach towns.❤❤❤ Very diverse and welcoming!

[@bukboefidun9096]

Diverse? That's a tagline I look for when I don't want to go or live somewhere.

[@gregorystinette8271]

​@@bukboefidun9096/ dats rayciss

[@jakef1977]

Davis Ok is a pretty cool little town my mom's side of the family hailed from there. years back I stopped by there to lay flowers at the headstones of my great grandparents. We ate at the Sonic and hit the road to Texas.

[@gpl422sda]

You call these SMALL towns? Look at Parkston South Dakota pop 1500! No crime, hospital, and a city hall that puts live music in the park all summer. And an airport for private planes

[@dannylgriffin]

I was hoping you'd do Henderson, NC or somewhere around there. That's on my short list of places to move to.

[@acriser15]

Natchitoches is a nice town! Some others I'd include to this list would be Mena, Ark, Eureka Springs, Ark, St Francisville, La.

[@GeauxSaints369]

4:28 was that aunt Edna on the Amish buggy?

[@danlancaster2239]

Thank you for the last video. I live in Toledo, OH and the wife and I made reservations to visit Marietta, OH. Go figure! Also, making plans to visit Shipshewana, IN. and Damascus, VA. These are the videos we enjoy, going to visit small towns and give them some business.

[@LadyCruz619]

Excellent as usual!

[@williamwilkins3084]

My guess is these small towns would like to stay unheard of

[@Fireball_]

Wolfeboro Natchitoches shelburne marietta little Compton and mabye davis are large towns and there is no mayor for little Compton but these are all great towns

[@Slkguy230]

Elko Nevada. Lot of mining,railroad,old west history. Annual cowboy poetry festival. Eastern part of the state along I-80 about 2 hrs from Salt Lake City UT

[@LB-ty6ks]

Living inthe Portland area you might consider a visit to Cathlamet, Wa. A small town along the Columbia River about midway between Longview and the coast.

[@j.patrickmoore9137]

One of the significant things about Cathlamet is that it's as far as they expect a tsunami to come up the Columbia River when the Cascadia Subduction Zone breaks loose.

[@Timithos]

@4:28 Was that... a body wrapped on top of the wagon?

[@lopresti4559]

My town has a population of 265. Pretty small. 😅 the town i work in has around 3100.

[@MrJamesPottorff]

I lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana in the 80's It was a nice area to raise kids in

[@audrasieger7865]

I went to summer camp right outside of Wolfeboro! So very very nice!!

[@j.patrickmoore9137]

One of the amazing things about museums is that there's an enormous amount of information that you would never know to seek out on the internet. As the old saying goes, you don't know what you don't know.

[@andrewcrawford8015]

I don't live in Damascus but i live in the area and have been there several times working for amazon. Driving hwy 91N in mountain city tn onto US 58 in Damascus va is absolutely a beautiful drive. Just make sure you're not in a hurry because they seem to always be doing road work on it. 😂

[@erickaegi629]

Briggs it is Marietta with the a.

[@lechatbotte.]

I know Damascus. There’s a ton of shopping very close buy and easy access to I 81. I live about 15 min from Damascus. It’s Abingdon right next door to Damascus. I live in Lebanon.

[@Frag_Limit]

Could you do a more in depth of Wolfeboro like the crime rate and employment rate, please?

[@jdds1165]

There's very little crime and less unemployment in Wolfeboro

[@rockycfc]

Love these videos. My wife who's from Alabama and I are moving to Birmingham from NZ in 2 weeks, so those videos especially have been eye opening!!

[@richardgogan655]

Yes it has Univ of Alabama----but no hi poverty rate and violent crime rate ----bad idea don't move there

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

@@richardgogan655 UAB is in Birmingham. Alabama is in Tuscaloosa.

[@jimgreen5788]

Re. the comment about rhubarb, it makes a great pie. My mom used to make them all the time, as well as preserves, from the stuff growing in our back yard. Just the memories are making me hungry.

[@j.patrickmoore9137]

I picked up a Rhubarb-Raspberry pie at the Sisters Bakery in Sisters, Oregon. It was amazing, as is everything they sell. Charming Central Oregon town, all storefronts are a Western town design.

[@augiegirl1]

For most of my life, my mom has been making jars of strawberry rhubarb jam to give as gifts for Christmas (it’s just rhubarb, sugar, crushed pineapple, & strawberry jello powder); everyone who receives a jar LOVES IT!

[@annamarkham-roberts4304]

I went to Turner falls summer camp, Methodist church... beautiful

[@yolandastrickling1815]

There is a Marietta in Georgia. You should do a comparison and see, which one’s better.

[@yuckyool]

I have lived in NJ for almost 60 years are we have A LOT of small towns . . . 8~10 of them are amazing {good walkable downtowns, nice cultural offerings, some interesting architecture, educated people, relatively low crime, restaurants}. Notice I did NOT say "affordable."

[@rodhester2166]

curious, what are the populations of a small, medium, large town and small, medium and large cities. We use to judge a town by how many stop lights they had and after that it was how many McDonalds they have. have great weekend.

[@cojaxart8986]

Anything east of the Mississippi River has something’s to consider: 1) high humidity, 2) lots of mosquitos, 3) cold snowy winters if in the northeast or MN. Otherwise, knock yourself out! Paia on Maui is good. The last town on the road to Hana on the eastern shore, with black sand beaches and over 65 different waterfalls on the way there. Hawaii is my favorite, but expensive.

[@SingleMaltMac]

Abingdon, VA is such a cute town with a great downtown. You should check it out.

[@autumnmackert9924]

Some of these towns have the most amazing names! The stuff that movies and stories are made of!

[@Quality_Koi]

Ship" amish town ... I live not far from there , it is a very clean and pleasant place...awsome local foods".

[@marcielynn4886]

My small town is on the Big island of Hawaii.🏝

[@ukulelebutterfly]

My small town is a tiny island in SWFL. 🏝 ⛱️ ~ 🦋

[@meman6964]

Big Island, my favorite place. Except The Hilton sucks. I'd stay somewhere locally owned and managed next time

[@taylorfam0]

HI shaved ice is different than a snow cone...

[@Heydrich43]

I like Davis OK as well, but the neighboring town of Sulphur was nearly destroyed by a tornado just a short time ago!

[@suyapajimenez516]

What about small amazing California’s towns or affordable

[@micahglesmann604]

I grew up in Windsor Colorado.