Best Mid-Sized Towns in the Midwest for Live Theater
Maybe you loved going to Hamilton or watching a local production of the Nutcracker. Some of you love theater but don’t want to live in a big city. Live theater venues can have a profound effect on cities large and small alike. Popular shows will draw in patrons from near and far who, before and after a performance, will support nearby restaurants and other businesses. We looked at the best mid-sized towns for live theater for those of you that love going out to dinner and then the theater.
In a big city, there are lots of choices for live theater entertainment. But in smaller cities, it can be more hit or miss. For many who are thinking of relocating, a city’s theater scene is an important part of their overall decision about where to live. We crunched our data to find mid-sized cities (population between 10,000 and 74,999)) in the Midwest, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin that are standouts for live theater.
Standouts for live theater
Michigan City, IN – Population 31,118. Our co-top pick is Michigan City, Indiana. Located on the south shore of Lake Michigan about 45 miles from the eastern edge of Chicago, Michigan City is the only mid-sized city in the Midwest with four live theater venues. Very impressive for a city of only 31,000.
Iowa City, IA – Population – 67,862. Our other co-top pick is Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa and is located about 60 miles to the west of the Illinois border. While Iowa City has 3 live theater venues rather than Michigan City’s 4, I’m calling this a tie because Iowa City does get broadway shows from time to time. It is one of the smallest cities in America that has that distinction.
Youngstown, OH – Population 66982. In 3rd place is Youngstown, OH. Situated between Cleveland and Pittsburgh and part of the “steel belt” of the 1800s, Youngston’s downtown has been transformed into a center of culture. Youngstown has 3 live theater venues, including the Youngstown Playhouse, which has served the area for 80 years, making it the oldest continuously operating community theater in the United States.
Finding your best place to live
Maybe you are thinking that none of these cities we’ve discussed sound just right for you. Or maybe live theater AND live music venues are important when choosing a place to visit. That’s why we created the NextDiggs quiz so that you can decide what features are “the best” for you. We profiled every city in America with 5000 or more residents with 61 criteria. You can choose to answer all the questions or only the ones that are important to you. So go ahead and take the quiz and find your own “top 3”.
If you are interested in the arts you might also like our post about the best mid-sized towns in the midwest for art.
