Here at The VBJ we often remark on how good life can be in Hampton Roads. It’s been called a great spot for homebuyers and for renters, for outdoors enthusiasts and remote workers and also for minorities seeking success. And of course it’s an ideal place for those looking for great food and entertainment options.

As we enjoy all that the region has to offer, something that shouldn’t be overlooked is the influence a municipal government can have on the lives of the people it serves. So how do the governments in the region stack up when compared to those in the rest of the country?

Researchers at WalletHub wanted to find the best-run cities in the country, so first determined the quality of services of 150 cities by considering 38 indicators grouped into 6 categories: 1) Financial Stability, 2) Education, 3) Health, 4) Safety, 5) Economy and 6) Infrastructure & Pollution. The heaviest-weighted metrics were Moody’s credit rating, life expectancy, infant mortality rate, crime rates, motor vehicle fatality rates, unemployment, quality of roads, walk score, and recreation-friendliness.

They then compared city’s quality of services score to its budget to determine how efficiently the city provided those services.

Virginia Beach is the 11th best-run city in the country in 2022, continuing its trend of slowly slipping down WalletHub’s list. The city was 8th on the list in 2019, 9th in 2020, and 10th last year. Chesapeake is the 16th best-run city this year, up three places from 19th last year.

As for quality of city services alone, Virginia Beach has the 2nd best score, behind only Huntington Beach, CA. This year we were helped by top ten scores in the categories of education (3rd), safety (4th), and financial stability (7th).

Chesapeake is 10th in the nation in quality of services this year, with the second best score in financial stability, and the 8th best in education.

It’s comforting to know our tax dollars are being put to such good use here in Tidewater.

The best-run city in the country in 2022 according to WalletHub is Nampa, ID, due to strong scores in the categories of safety and economy.