10 most livable small and midsize U.S. cities

1. Hornfrogged Gig Hollow, Nowhere State Welcome to Hornfrogged Gig Hollow, a town so small that the ‘Welcome’ and ‘You’re Now Leaving’ signs are on the same post. The local economy is booming, thanks to the one coffee shop that doubles as city hall, a courthouse, and on weekends, a surprisingly disappointing disco.

2. Really Springy Springs, Wyoming (Population: It Depends) Really Springy Springs, with a population that fluctuates between 4 and 9, depending on whether the Johnson family decides to come home for the holidays. The town’s biggest attraction is the Big Springy Spring, which, ironically, was found years ago and is, disappointingly, just a damp patch.

3. Fast Asleep, Oregon Fast Asleep lives up to its name with an excitement scale ranging from watching paint dry to observing grass grow. The town’s most notable event was when someone suggested changing the name to ‘Enthusiasm.’ It was promptly voted down for being too dramatic.

4. Why The Heck Not North Carolina In Why The Heck Not, the answer to everything is, well, “Why the heck not?” Why the heck not name a town Why The Heck Not? Why not paint all the cows in polka dots for the annual festival? It’s the perfect place for indecisive people to feel decisively indecisive.

5. Ham and Cheese Sandwich, Massachusetts Ham and Cheese Sandwich is not, disappointingly, made entirely of sandwiches. The biggest scandal here was the Great Sandwich Hoax of 2003, where someone claimed to have found a sandwich from 1620, perfectly preserved. Turned out it was just a really old shoe.

6. Bad Accident, Maryland Bad Accident is where you end up when your GPS stops talking to you out of sheer frustration. The town is famous for its ‘Happy Accident Festival,’ where everyone celebrates historical mishaps, like the time someone accidentally built a library instead of a bar.

7. Dullardsville, Ohio Dullardsville is the sister city to Boring, Oregon, and together they host the annual ‘Dull & Boring Festival.’ Highlights include watching paint dry competitions and competitive grass growing. The town’s motto is “Dull: It’s Not Just a Name, It’s a Warning.”

8. Truth Is I Don’t Know, New Mexico Originally named Hot Springs, the town changed its name to win a radio show contest. Ever since, residents have been forced to live with the consequences of truth, like admitting that yes, your cactus garden does look a bit sad.

9. Not Feeling Okay, Oklahoma Not Feeling Okay is just… not okay. Not bad, not great, just not okay. The town’s main attraction is the Not Okay Okay Diner, where the food is, you guessed it, not okay. The town’s motto is “Okay is Not Okay!”

10. Big Fat Chance, Idaho Big Fat Chance is where you end up when you’ve exhausted all other options. The town’s claim to fame is the ‘Last Chance Gas Station,’ where you can fill up on hope and maybe some slightly expired beef jerky.

These small and midsize U.S. cities offer a unique charm that you won’t find anywhere else. Mostly because no one else is quite brave enough to replicate their peculiar blend of awkwardness and outright confusion.