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Nicest Places

After hearing all your stories and submissions, we’ve found some of the nicest places in America. From metropolitan miracles to small-town hidden gems, our nation’s capacity for human kidness will amaze you. Did your town make the list?

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Uniting in the Face of Deadly Blizzards and Tragedy, Buffalo, New York, Is the Nicest Place in America

Despite natural disasters, shooting tragedies and Damar Hamlin's near-death experience, Buffalo's community is stronger than ever

Damar Hamlin: Thank You, Buffalo

In this touching letter, Damar Hamlin reflects on the support he's received from the Buffalo community, 2023's Nicest Place in...


How Unity Park Heals a Decades-Old Racial Injustice and Unites a Community

This park rights a historic wrong and brings people together with nature


This Flower Farm Delivers Free Flowers to Spread Cheer—and Fight Pollution

This nonprofit is spreading smiles and saving the earth, one bouquet at a time


A Devastating Flood Brings Out the Best in a Small Town

When the floodwaters rose in Red Lodge, Montana, so did a river of helping hands

Tasty Ribs and Helping Hands: Mark BBQ Serves 170,000 Meals to Those in Need

In addition to brisket burgers, this restaurant offers free meals and second chances


The Nicest Places in America 2023

The Nicest Places in America is a nationwide search for places where people are kind and do amazing things to...

How One Man’s Dream—and a Community’s Determination—Brought the Kingsport Carousel to Life

They may not have been carpenters or mechanics by trade, but residents of Kingsport, Tennessee, had just the thing to...


These Neighbors Helped Save Ranch Animals During a Wildfire—and Made Coulterville, California the Ni...

When a wildfire threatened their tight-knit community, residents of Coulterville, California stepped up to help neighbors in need


Solve a Math Problem, Get Free Food: How the Lucky Candy Bodega Uses Math—and Kindness—to Help the C...

The Bronx bodega's challenge aims to help those in need—and keep those math skills sharp too


Nicest Places in America 2022

Nicest Places in America is a nationwide search for places where people are kind and do amazing things to improve...

This Man’s Homemade Ice Rink Brought Manton, Michigan Together During a Dark Winter

When the pandemic forced Manton, Michigan to shut down, resident Scott Chittle decided that the community needed a safe place...


When COVID-19 Struck, One Woman Turned Her Horse Ranch Into an Oasis the Community Needed

“I had a vision for the space being therapeutic for whoever the universe sent our way—horses or people.”


Taking in the Community During a Christmas Blizzard, the Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee Is the Nice...

When the residents of Eastern Tennessee went to bed on Christmas Eve of 2020 dreaming of a white Christmas, they...


The Boot Texan Kitchen in Houston, Texas

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut Houston down, Angeline Latchley and her fiancé found themselves unemployed and bored, like so many...


Manton, Michigan

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the town to shut down, Scott Chittle decided that the community needed a safe place...

The Quality Inn in Kodak, Tennessee

When icy temperatures this past winter froze Kodak, Tennessee, shutting power down and freezing pipes, Sean Patel, owner of the...


Renton, Washington

For most people, a free Christmas cheesecake would be a welcome surprise. But for Diane Dobson of Renton, Washington, it...


Nina and Doug’s House in Austin Hills, Texas

Chelsea Timmons was going through a year of transition: She quit her teaching career to deal with mental health issues...


The Sun and Moon Ranch in Lexington, North Carolina

In 1971, at just two years old, Shannan Hearne mounted a horse for the first time. She felt a deep...


Brooks, Georgia

When COVID-19 hit Brooks, Georgia, the first thing Angel Girard noticed in her neighborhood Facebook group, “Life in the Brooks...


Littleton, New Hampshire

The people of Littleton, New Hampshire can always find something to be glad about: their rich history, their beautiful countryside,...


Lake City, South Carolina

The quiet beauty of Lake City is typical for a South Carolina town: tidy small homes lining peaceful, leafy streets....


Sugar Land, Texas

When David Sebek and his business partner Tracie Whitacre opened Escape Again Rooms 20 years ago, they were glad to...


These Are the 50 Nicest Places in America, According to Our Readers

This list of our 50 Nicest Places in 2020 came from over 1,000 stories sent to us by readers. Check...

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Nicest Places in America 2021

Nicest Places in America is a nationwide search for places where people are kind and do amazing things to improve...


Incredible Generosity Makes Red Handed Tattoo in Shreveport the Nicest Place in Louisiana

Learn how the owner of one small-town tattoo shop made a big difference.


Fighting COVID-19 and Racial Injustice, Buchanan, Michigan, Is the Nicest Place in America

In 2020, we received a record number 1,177 story submissions to our annual search for the Nicest Places in America...


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In Columbiana, Ohio, the Nicest Place in America in 2019, Nobody Gets Left Behind

In Columbiana, Ohio, nobody gets left behind, from blue-collar workers, to the wealthy, to folks who sometimes need a little...


The Nicest Place in Idaho: Hidden Springs

When illness nearly caused a beloved shop owner to close the doors, one group came to the rescue: Her customers.


The Nicest Place in Michigan: Armada

A beautiful public park full of butterflies and doves is a living, loving monument to a young girl taken too...