A study says Lewiston and Portland are two of the better-run cities in the U.S., ranking No. 36 and No. 44, respectively, among 150 municipalities nationwide.
Those scores also placed Lewiston No. 3 in New England, and Portland No. 6.
The analysis by personal financial website WalletHub named the “best-run cities” based on how they measured up on 38 criteria in six categories: financial stability, education, health, safety, local economy and a category related to infrastructure and pollution controls.
Those scores were totaled to create a “city services index,” a measurement of overall municipal performance and quality of life. The index was then divided by each per-capita budget to determine which cities are doing the best with their municipal resources. In compiling the rankings, WalletHub utilized census data and other public information from the most populated cities in each state.
Portland scored high, No. 14 nationally, in its services index — but with the city’s budget factored in, ranked lower at No. 44 overall. By contrast, Lewiston ranked No. 68 in city services, but was higher in the overall comparison.
On the individual criteria, both cities scored highest for safety: Portland was No. 7 nationally, and Lewiston, No. 11. Both also received their worst scores for education, with Portland ranking No. 96 and Lewiston ranking No. 142, eighth-worst among all 150 cities.
In addition to Lewiston and Portland, the other cities making up the top 10 in New England were: Nashua, N.H., No 4 nationwide; Manchester, N.H., No. 19; Warwick, R.I., No. 39; Worcester, Mass., No. 43; Rutland, Vt., No. 66; Boston, No. 73; Springfield, Mass., No. 83; and Providence, R.I., No. 96.
The top-ranking city nationwide was Nampa, Idaho, and the lowest-ranking, at No. 150, was Washington, D.C.
For more information and the complete rankings, click here.
