Photo courtesy of Vevay
A testament to quality of place and historic preservation initiatives throughout the state, four municipalities in Indiana were recently named among the 10 best small towns in the Midwest by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
According to the national publication, Vevay, Madison, Middlebury, and LaPorte made the 2026 list, with Vevay and Madison ranked as the best and second best small towns in the Midwest, respectively.
In addition, USA Today ranked Elkhart’s riverwalk as the sixth-best riverwalk in the country.
A panel of travel writers selects nominations for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and readers select the winners based on an online vote. The publication defines “small towns” for its awards as municipalities with 25,000 or fewer residents.
Nestled on the Ohio River in southeast Indiana, Vevay’s annual Swiss wine festival and historic Benjamin Schenck Mansion drew the attention of USA Today and earned Vevay the title for best small town in the Midwest. Vevay has a population of around 1,700 residents and finds itself on USA Today’s list of best small towns in the Midwest for the fourth year in a row.
In Madison, reviewers highlighted the city’s waterfront and historic downtown district, while Middlebury’s distinct Amish tradition earned it a spot on the list at No. 6.
LaPorte came in as No. 10 on the USA Today’s list, with the publication impressed with its “scenic lakes, historic downtown, and vibrant community events.”
To read more about the Indiana municipalities named to the best small towns in the Midwest list, click here. To read about Elkhart and the best riverwalks in the nation, click here.