This Charming Village Was Named the Nicest Place in the U.S. for 2026—and Its Residents Go Above and Beyond for Each Other

Benevolence is what keeps a community strong and maintains a sense of togetherness. And this year, a small town in New York is setting an example of goodwill.

Liverpool, a village of 2,600 residents along the shores of Onondaga Lake, was named the nicest place in America for 2026 by Reader’s Digest. The village, which sits just outside Syracuse, was recognized for its “deep-rooted culture of volunteerism, philanthropy and neighborly generosity.”

“Nicest Places in America is a celebration of kindness, community and civic pride,” Leigh Belz Ray, the editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “Liverpool, NY is the perfect example of a place where neighbors truly show up for one another and where kindness is woven throughout the fabric of everyday life.”

Among the town’s noteworthy charity organizations was Operation Northern Comfort, which provides home repairs and builds ramps to make communities more accessible. And then there’s local Syracuse shoe cobbler Ralph Rotella, who has worked to donate more than 300,000 pairs of shoes to those in need through the Syracuse Rescue Mission.

Liverpool is a small, walkable community just 1 square mile in size. The historic village is home to restaurants and coffee shops like Heid’s of Liverpool, a diner dating back more than 100 years that was featured on an episode of Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food. Visitors can stop by the village’s Salt Museum to learn about the salt industry, or head to the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center, which is dedicated to the Native Americans of central New York. Or get outdoors with a stroll in Onondaga Lake Park, which boasts trails, playgrounds, and lake views.

The area has a vibrant year-round social scene as well, and hosts the annual Lights on the Lake event, a two-mile drive-through Christmas lights display, as well as a Celtic festival and Scottish games, and the Golden Harvest Festival.

To select its finalists, Reader’s Digest tapped a panel of judges that included philanthropists, authors, and CEOs. The public was then invited to nominate “towns, cities and other locations where people come together to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their neighbors.”

Also recognized this year was the Book Thing of Baltimore, a volunteer-run, free used book shop; and the Heretic Coffee Co. in Portland, Oregon, which serves free breakfast to SNAP recipients.

Previous winners included Asheville, North Carolina, in 2025, Provo, Utah, in 2024, and Buffalo, New York, in 2023.

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