Dublin landed in the 92nd percentile nationally in WalletHub's 2026 "Best Small Cities in America" study, one of the strongest showings among Ohio communities.

The personal-finance site's annual study, published Tuesday, Sept. 29, compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. Analyst Chip Lupo scored each city across 45 indicators grouped into five categories: Affordability, Economic Health, Education & Health, Quality of Life and Safety.

Among 55 Ohio cities in the study, Mason led the state in the 98th percentile, ranking 25th nationally, as 614Now reported. Dublin and Delaware both landed in the 92nd percentile, trailing only Mason. Hilliard followed in the 83rd percentile.

The result marks a shift from Dublin's peak in the same annual study. In 2021, Dublin ranked No. 10 nationally and No. 1 in Ohio, according to the city's economic development office. It placed 12th in 2020 and 14th in 2016. It placed 13th in 2022, 12th in 2020 and 14th in 2016.

Dublin's specific scores in each of the five categories were not included in the published summary. The study's indicators range from housing costs and school-system quality to restaurants per capita, crime rates, unemployment, median credit scores, parks per capita and commute times. Safety carries extra weight, with violent crime and property crime rates double-counted.

School-system quality is one of those 45 indicators. Dublin City Schools earned a 4.5-star rating on the 2025–2026 Ohio state report cards, a result the district said in September reflects strong student outcomes and a commitment to quality instruction, according to a Columbus Dispatch report published Sept. 15. The City of Dublin also earned the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award for a fourth consecutive year in January, recognizing financial reporting, budgeting and transparency.

Lexington, Massachusetts, topped the national list. WalletHub cited its fourth-lowest property crime rate, 21st-lowest violent crime rate and a median household income above $238,000.