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 Buffalo County, South Dakota, with a composite score of 72.8. 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 | Buffalo County | SD | 72.8 | 93.2 | 99.3 | 97.5 | 9.6 | N/A |
| 2 | Bland County | VA | 72.8 | 77.7 | 96.5 | 60.4 | 67.7 | 64.9 |
| 3 | Cumberland County | KY | 72.7 | 79.9 | 98 | 89.6 | 35.3 | 72.3 |
| 4 | Elliott County | KY | 72.7 | 70.8 | 87.2 | 87.4 | 54 | 72.2 |
| 5 | Pershing County | NV | 72.7 | 69.8 | 66.8 | 88.6 | 51.3 | 89.6 |
| 6 | Rockcastle County | KY | 72.4 | 85.8 | 93.8 | 87.6 | 28.2 | 75.3 |
| 7 | Divide County | ND | 72.4 | 72.3 | 55.6 | 84.4 | 83.3 | 70.3 |
| 8 | Mineral County | CO | 72.2 | 95.9 | 51.4 | 97.5 | 75.6 | 51.1 |
| 9 | Hardin County | IL | 72.1 | 38.7 | 94.9 | 97.5 | 48.4 | 87.6 |
| 10 | Hand County | SD | 71.9 | 44.1 | 77.7 | 92 | 74.4 | 60.3 |
| 11 | Sully County | SD | 71.9 | 47.7 | 59.1 | 93.3 | 86.9 | 70 |
| 12 | Gosper County | NE | 71.8 | 31.8 | 81.4 | 93.7 | 66 | 71.2 |
| 13 | Crockett County | TX | 71.8 | 97 | 98.9 | 63.5 | 9.6 | 78.9 |
| 14 | Grant County | NE | 71.7 | 62.5 | 63.3 | 97.5 | 78.7 | 49.1 |
| 15 | Nelson County | ND | 71.7 | 55.4 | 87.8 | 75 | 79.2 | 57.1 |
| 16 | Wahkiakum County | WA | 71.7 | 71.8 | 62.5 | 81.2 | 68.7 | 84.5 |
| 17 | Golden Valley County | ND | 71.6 | 43.8 | 93.6 | 68 | 81.1 | 70.2 |
| 18 | Wolfe County | KY | 71.5 | 78.8 | 99.3 | 87.4 | 22.9 | 74 |
| 19 | Carter County | MT | 71.4 | 88.7 | 78.2 | 97.5 | 53 | 43.4 |
| 20 | Murray County | MN | 71.3 | 51.2 | 58.8 | 87.2 | 81.7 | 76.5 |
| 21 | Kidder County | ND | 71.3 | 74.8 | 73.3 | 73.7 | 77.1 | 59 |
| 22 | Lincoln County | NV | 71.2 | 83.1 | 50.5 | 97.5 | 49.8 | 77.6 |
| 23 | Nemaha County | KS | 71.1 | 39 | 66.2 | 89.2 | 76.8 | 83.4 |
| 24 | Rock County | NE | 71.1 | 30.4 | 90 | 97.5 | 76.8 | 71.2 |
| 25 | Jackson County | MN | 70.9 | 41 | 61.3 | 87.4 | 92.8 | 78.3 |
| 26 | Fillmore County | NE | 70.9 | 36.9 | 79.3 | 97.5 | 84.9 | 50.1 |
| 27 | Harding County | SD | 70.9 | 27.4 | 77.6 | 97.5 | 68 | 66.3 |
| 28 | Warren County | IN | 70.8 | 84 | 51.2 | 97.5 | 73.8 | 49.4 |
| 29 | Clinton County | KY | 70.8 | 82.1 | 94.5 | 91.4 | 28.4 | 67.3 |
| 30 | Daggett County | UT | 70.7 | 88 | 51.3 | 97.5 | 72.2 | 44.9 |
| 31 | Grant County | WV | 70.7 | 97.9 | 91 | 89.9 | 35.9 | 47.1 |
| 32 | Martin County | IN | 70.6 | 79.3 | 80.1 | 94.1 | 46.8 | 39.9 |
| 33 | Keweenaw County | MI | 70.6 | 36.1 | 81.7 | 67.3 | 93 | 99.3 |
| 34 | Brooke County | WV | 70.6 | 81 | 91.3 | 77.3 | 48.5 | 78.7 |
| 35 | Rock County | MN | 70.5 | 59.3 | 62.3 | 79.4 | 85.6 | 69.3 |
| 36 | Noble County | OH | 70.5 | 58 | 81.6 | 97.5 | 59.5 | 59.9 |
| 37 | Tucker County | WV | 70.5 | 94.9 | 88.6 | 87.6 | 45.9 | 52 |
| 38 | Presque Isle County | MI | 70.3 | 39.9 | 82 | 86 | 72.8 | 73.5 |
| 39 | Assumption Parish | LA | 70 | 95.1 | 79.2 | 97.5 | 32.6 | 67.7 |
| 40 | Butler County | NE | 70 | 28.1 | 61.5 | 92.3 | 85.2 | 85.8 |
| 41 | Griggs County | ND | 70 | 42.2 | 91.5 | 79.8 | 89.5 | 41.7 |
| 42 | Floyd County | VA | 70 | 78.1 | 67 | 76.3 | 68.6 | 71.2 |
| 43 | Brown County | IN | 69.9 | 90.4 | 36.7 | 94.7 | 66.9 | 56.8 |
| 44 | Marshall County | MN | 69.9 | 50.7 | 71.8 | 85.2 | 85.6 | 60.5 |
| 45 | McHenry County | ND | 69.9 | 65.1 | 77.6 | 62.6 | 78.9 | 70.6 |
| 46 | McCreary County | KY | 69.8 | 66.2 | 96 | 92.3 | 22.8 | 74.6 |
| 47 | Hinsdale County | CO | 69.7 | 97.8 | 20.8 | 77.1 | 60.4 | 97 |
| 48 | Ida County | IA | 69.7 | 25.6 | 81.8 | 84.6 | 83.4 | 71.1 |
| 49 | Powder River County | MT | 69.7 | 62.6 | 84.5 | 93.6 | 49.9 | 47.4 |
| 50 | Garfield County | MT | 69.6 | 69.6 | 77.3 | 92.8 | 50 | 47.9 |
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), Nebraska (5 counties), South Dakota (4 counties), Minnesota (4 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.