Everyone knows about the counties that top "best places to live" lists. But what about the excellent counties that fly under the radar? We identified "hidden gem" counties — places with composite scores of 68 or higher that are not already in the top 25 nationwide. These counties offer outstanding quality of life without the hype, attention, or inflated prices of better-known destinations.
The top hidden gem is Rockcastle County, Kentucky, with a composite score of 72.7. These counties prove that you do not need to live in a headline-grabbing location to enjoy low costs, strong schools, and excellent safety.
The 50 Hidden Gem Counties in America (2026)
Hidden gems are defined as counties with composite scores of 68+ that rank outside the top 25 nationally. They represent the "next tier" of excellent counties — places that score well across multiple dimensions but have not yet attracted national attention.
| Rank | County | State | Composite Score | Tax | Cost | Safety | Health | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockcastle County | KY | 72.7 | 87.7 | 93.3 | 87.6 | 28.2 | 75.3 |
| 2 | Murray County | MN | 72.7 | 56.1 | 60.8 | 87.2 | 81.7 | 76.5 |
| 3 | Elliott County | KY | 72.6 | 64.3 | 92.4 | 87.4 | 54 | 72.2 |
| 4 | Carter County | MT | 72.6 | 91.1 | 82.7 | 97.5 | 53 | 43.4 |
| 5 | Jackson County | MN | 72.5 | 44.2 | 69.3 | 87.4 | 92.8 | 78.3 |
| 6 | Lac qui Parle County | MN | 72.5 | 41.9 | 60.6 | 89.3 | 89 | 82 |
| 7 | Burke County | ND | 72.5 | 65.1 | 78.2 | 80.9 | 87 | 50.3 |
| 8 | Fallon County | MT | 72.4 | 77.5 | 56.8 | 74.3 | 67.7 | 90.6 |
| 9 | Pershing County | NV | 72.3 | 63.6 | 65.3 | 88.6 | 51.3 | 89.6 |
| 10 | Hand County | SD | 72.3 | 45 | 79.3 | 92 | 74.4 | 60.3 |
| 11 | Nemaha County | KS | 72.2 | 39.8 | 70.3 | 89.2 | 76.8 | 83.4 |
| 12 | Divide County | ND | 72.2 | 74.8 | 52.8 | 84.4 | 83.3 | 70.3 |
| 13 | Hinsdale County | CO | 72.1 | 98.5 | 38.2 | 77.1 | 60.4 | 97 |
| 14 | Rock County | NE | 71.8 | 36.8 | 88 | 97.5 | 76.8 | 71.2 |
| 15 | Wayne County | UT | 71.8 | 96.2 | 50.9 | 97.5 | 44.7 | 78.5 |
| 16 | Keweenaw County | MI | 71.6 | 42.5 | 80.4 | 67.3 | 93 | 99.3 |
| 17 | Nelson County | ND | 71.5 | 53 | 86.6 | 75 | 79.2 | 57.1 |
| 18 | Floyd County | VA | 71.5 | 83.8 | 69.4 | 76.3 | 68.6 | 71.2 |
| 19 | Crockett County | TX | 71.3 | 97 | 95.7 | 63.5 | 9.6 | 78.9 |
| 20 | Ida County | IA | 71.2 | 33.4 | 82 | 84.6 | 83.4 | 71.1 |
| 21 | Boone County | NE | 71.2 | 36.9 | 71.3 | 90.8 | 85 | 72.2 |
| 22 | Harding County | NM | 71.2 | 95.2 | 91.1 | 97.5 | 35.3 | 50.9 |
| 23 | Wolfe County | KY | 71 | 75.4 | 99.3 | 87.4 | 22.9 | 74 |
| 24 | LaSalle Parish | LA | 70.9 | 92.6 | 84 | N/A | 35.8 | 72.6 |
| 25 | Mitchell County | NC | 70.9 | 85.6 | 80.2 | 94 | 47.5 | 54 |
| 26 | Hardin County | IL | 70.7 | 26.7 | 94.1 | 97.5 | 48.4 | 87.6 |
| 27 | Warren County | IN | 70.7 | 84.3 | 52.1 | 97.5 | 73.8 | 49.4 |
| 28 | Rock County | MN | 70.7 | 60.8 | 58.1 | 79.4 | 85.6 | 69.3 |
| 29 | Brooke County | WV | 70.7 | 81.6 | 91.2 | 77.3 | 48.5 | 78.7 |
| 30 | Tucker County | WV | 70.7 | 96.1 | 87.5 | 87.6 | 45.9 | 52 |
| 31 | Doddridge County | WV | 70.6 | 88.9 | 77.6 | 59.2 | 50.5 | 96.5 |
| 32 | Cumberland County | KY | 70.5 | 73 | 97 | 89.6 | 35.3 | 72.3 |
| 33 | Worth County | IA | 70.4 | 32.8 | 68.8 | 85 | 88.2 | 65.7 |
| 34 | Butler County | NE | 70.4 | 26.9 | 62.8 | 92.3 | 85.2 | 85.8 |
| 35 | LaMoure County | ND | 70.4 | 40.6 | 83.3 | 89.5 | 79.3 | 47.1 |
| 36 | Noble County | OH | 70.4 | 54.1 | 83.3 | 97.5 | 59.5 | 59.9 |
| 37 | Martin County | IN | 70.3 | 82.8 | 76.8 | 94.1 | 46.8 | 39.9 |
| 38 | Hoonah-Angoon Census Area | AK | 70.2 | 92.8 | 63.6 | 97.5 | 45.6 | 52.2 |
| 39 | Grant County | WV | 70.2 | 97.1 | 88.7 | 89.9 | 35.9 | 47.1 |
| 40 | Greenlee County | AZ | 70.1 | 95.9 | 98.6 | 90.1 | 47.8 | 14.8 |
| 41 | Leslie County | KY | 70.1 | 61.2 | 98.4 | 91.6 | 34.3 | 69.3 |
| 42 | Presque Isle County | MI | 70.1 | 36.5 | 84 | 86 | 72.8 | 73.5 |
| 43 | Emery County | UT | 70.1 | 76.1 | 82.6 | 97.5 | 47.7 | 43.3 |
| 44 | Clinton County | KY | 70 | 80.7 | 93.9 | 91.4 | 28.4 | 67.3 |
| 45 | Griggs County | ND | 70 | 44.8 | 86 | 79.8 | 89.5 | 41.7 |
| 46 | Sully County | SD | 70 | 48.6 | 48.8 | 93.3 | 86.9 | 70 |
| 47 | Golden Valley County | MT | 69.9 | 84.8 | 73.1 | 79.9 | 36 | 96.5 |
| 48 | Clay County | WV | 69.9 | 96.5 | 97.7 | 69.8 | 27.1 | 78 |
| 49 | Kidder County | ND | 69.8 | 67.8 | 72.2 | 73.7 | 77.1 | 59 |
| 50 | Tyler County | WV | 69.8 | 79.1 | 91.7 | 67.7 | 53.2 | 78.5 |
Why These Counties Stay Hidden
There are several reasons why excellent counties remain off the radar:
- Small size: Many hidden gems have populations under 20,000. They do not generate enough search volume to appear on national "best places" lists.
- No major metro proximity: Counties far from major cities are often overlooked, even when they offer excellent quality of life.
- Lack of marketing: Some states and regions invest heavily in tourism and relocation marketing; others do not.
- Outdated perceptions: Counties in states like West Virginia, Kentucky, or Mississippi carry stereotypes that do not reflect current conditions.
The Kentucky-Minnesota Corridor
Hidden gems cluster in the same regions that dominate other quality-of-life rankings. Kentucky (6 counties), North Dakota (6 counties), West Virginia (6 counties), Minnesota (4 counties), Montana (3 counties) lead the list. Kentucky and Minnesota in particular have multiple counties that score well across tax, cost, safety, and health without making the absolute top 25.
These counties offer an intriguing proposition: nearly all the benefits of the top-ranked counties, without the attention that can drive up home prices and attract speculative investment. For buyers looking to get ahead of the curve, hidden gems represent an opportunity.
Methodology
Hidden gem counties are defined as counties with composite scores of 68 or higher (placing them in the top ~3% of all US counties) that rank outside the top 25 nationally. The composite score combines property tax, cost of living, safety, health, schools, income, disaster risk, and water quality using equal-weighted percentile ranks.
Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), FBI Uniform Crime Reports (2022), CDC County Health Rankings (2024), FEMA National Risk Index, NCES school data, and EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System. All figures are estimates and may differ from other published analyses due to methodology differences.