This Boston Suburb Was Just Named One of the Best Places to Live in the U.S.

When it comes to great public schools and a healthy lifestyle, it's hard to beat Lexington, Massachusetts.

Small towns are the heart and soul of our country — and as the cost of living continues to skyrocket in large urban areas, more people are moving to less-populated communities. And while there are thousands of small towns to consider, when it comes to a quality public education system and a healthy standard of living, Lexington, Massachusetts, leads the way.

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This charming suburb, located about 13 miles northwest of Boston, is not only one of the greatest places to live in the Bay State, but it's one of the nicest in the U.S. According to WalletHub's annual rankings of the best small cities (which involved evaluating 1,300 places for affordability, economic health, quality of life, safety, as well as education and health), Lexington is the third best small town in America, just after Brookfield, Wisconsin, and Carmel, Indiana.

But when it comes to education specifically, the website ranked Lexington as the first in the nation. "Lexington benefits from being in Massachusetts, the state with the best school systems in the country," WalletHub reported. According to Niche, a review site for schools, Lexington has the fourth-best school district in the state — an average of 97 percent of students graduate.

The town also ranked first in health. It has the second-highest percentage of people with health insurance in the country and also has the 22nd-most fitness centers per capita.

Additionally, WalletHub's report highlighted how safe Lexington is. It has the fourth-lowest property crime rate and 37th-lowest violent crime rate among small towns. Car crash deaths and drunk driving fatalities are also around the lowest in the country.

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, the town is home to a little under 35,000 people, has a median age of 47, and has one of the highest median annual household incomes (clocking in at $206,323) in not only the state but the country. Just 4.2 percent of Lexington citizens are experiencing poverty.

"Residents also have the 10th-highest median credit score, at 783, showing that people in the city are doing very well financially," WalletHub reported.

However, the combination of low crime rates, excellent public schools, and proximity to Boston has resulted in Lexington becoming one of Massachusetts's most expensive ZIP codes. According to a recent analysis by the Boston Business Journal, Lexington is the 18th wealthiest ZIP code in the state, and Zillow reports the median home value as a little over $1.5 million. Consequently, WalletHub ranked it at 518th for affordability.

But, if Lexington isn't quite what you're looking for, and you're still hoping to settle somewhere in Massachusetts — WalletHub ranks it the best state to live in thanks to its highly regarded education system and health care infrastructure — consider other Bay State small towns on the list including Milton, Arlington, and Newton.