Sad Day! Only One Iowa Town is Up For ‘Best Small Town in the Midwest’

Iowa has many cute, even quaint small towns.

While some are known for, oh, say, having the largest frying pan in Iowa, others are known for cute downtowns and being great places to raise a family.

READ MORE: Can You Afford to Live in Iowa's Most Expensive Town?

Have you ever stopped to ponder what the "best" small town in Iowa might be? Likely not, but broaden that question to include all of the Midwest, and that's what USA Today did.

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They did a "10 best" ranking to figure out the best small towns in our region. So, how did Iowa do? Only one town made the list!

Best Small Towns in the Midwest

The USA Today ranked the top 10 small towns in the Midwest. Before we find out what one lone Iowa town made the cut, here are the metrics they used.

• Population Size – Each town must have fewer than 25,000 residents.
• Expert Panel Nominations – A group of experts (not really sure what makes one an expert) selected the towns in the study.
• Charm & Scenic Beauty – Towns were chosen for their picturesque landscapes, historic architecture, or overall aesthetic appeal.
• Cultural & Historic Significance – Locations with rich history, museums, festivals, or unique cultural offerings were considered.
• Tourism Appeal – Factors like attractions, events, family-friendly activities, and overall visitor experience all played a role in selection.
• Midwestern Hospitality – The friendliness and welcoming nature of the community were likely factors in selection. While it's not clear how exactly this was measured, it's worth noting it was still a factor.

So with that in mind, Iowa's only appearance on the list is...

The home of the Field of Dreams... Dyersville.

There is certainly more to Dyersville than the Field of Dreams movie site, and now MLB field.

The town is home to the National Farm Toy Museum, and multiple parks and antique shops also dot the town of roughly 4,500 residents.

Other Midwestern states like Minnesota and Michigan had multiple towns make the list. Wisconsin, like Iowa, only had one entry.

You can see the full top 10 list here.

There are numerous other tiny towns in Iowa that you can check out, too!