The 5 best- and worst-run U.S. cities in 2025

Running a city is no easy job. And how effective local leadership is can shape nearly every aspect of daily life — from the quality of public services and infrastructure to safety, education, and economic opportunity.

In the U.S., some cities stand out for praiseworthy governance, while others struggle with more inefficiencies, budget shortfalls, and uneven outcomes. That's why WalletHub set out to pick the best- and worst-run cities in the U.S. in 2025.

It compared 148 cities in all 50 states by dozens of factors across six categories: financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure/pollution. It looked at some obvious metrics, such as rates of violent crime, high-school graduation, and unemployment. And some more out-of-the-box ones, like building-permit growth, bike scores, and residents' perception of safety.

“The best-run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, health, safety, and transportation to their residents,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "Many of the top cities also have a very low amount of outstanding government debt per capita, which can prevent financial troubles in the future.”

Continue reading to see WalletHub's picks for the five best- and worst-run cities across the U.S.