We think of Americans who’ve played prominent roles in the areas of culture, sports, education, or leadership as coming from the nation’s biggest cities, but they’ve also emerged from America’s small towns.
To determine the small towns where the most famous people are from, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on birthplace and Wikipedia pageview activity (as a measure of celebrity) for 2022. Cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census-designated places with fewer than 25,000 residents were ranked based on the number of famous or noteworthy people who were born there. The universe of famous people and their birthplaces came from the June 2022 paper “A cross-verified database of famous people, 3500BC-2018AD,” published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Data.
For many of these famous people, the values and stability of a small town helped forge their identity and contributed to their impetus to succeed. For others, their small town was a place to escape from, especially if they were poor or lived in an abusive household. They attended the local schools, played sports, appeared in school musicals or plays, and got their first jobs in town. And they dreamed of stardom or success. (These are the best American small towns for the arts.)
As our list indicates, an extraordinary number of famous people came from small towns all over the United States, though most hailed from small towns east of the Mississippi River. New York has eight towns on the list, followed by Pennsylvania (six), Mississippi (five), and Illinois (four).
The towns on this list are small, and some might be obscure, but there are small towns famous in their own right for various reasons, such as West Point, New York; Greenwich, Connecticut; Tuskegee, Alabama; and Laguna Beach, California.
The small town that has produced the most famous people over the years occupies a place in Revolutionary War history – and George Washington actually slept there. (Today, these are the homes of the world’s richest celebrities.)
Methodology
To determine the small towns where the most famous people are from, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on birthplace and Wikipedia pageview activity (as a measure of celebrity) for 2022. Cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census-designated places with fewer than 25,000 residents were ranked based on the number of famous or noteworthy people who were born there. In cases where two places boasted the same number of people worthy of consideration, the one with the smaller total population (and thus the higher per capita rate of famous folk) was rated higher.
The universe of famous people and their birthplaces came from the June 2022 paper “A cross-verified database of Famous people, 3500BC-2018AD,” published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Data. Birthplace coordinates were matched to place-level geographies using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only places with at least two famous people with an average of 500 Wikipedia pageviews or more per day in 2022 and at least 1 million aggregate Wikipedia pageviews in 2022 among all famous people born there were considered. Population figures are from the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey and are five-year data.
Here is a list of small towns where famous people were born.
50. Kinston, North Carolina
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 19,888
- Famous people: 39
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.6 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Jaime Pressly, Brandon Ingram, Jerry Stackhouse, Reggie Bullock, Cedric Maxwell
49. Mount Clemens, Michigan
Source: Brian Sevald / iStock via Getty Images
Source: Brian Sevald / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 15,735
- Famous people: 40
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.6 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Dean Cain, Paul Feig, Rich Froning Jr., Misty Lee
48. Lockport, New York
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
- Population: 20,876
- Famous people: 41
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.1 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Timothy McVeigh, Joyce Carol Oates, Kim Alexis, Geoffrey Deuel, Sean Kugler
47. Cusseta-Chattahoochee County, Georgia
Source: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 9,533
- Famous people: 41
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.1 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: James Carville, Laura Jane Grace, Clayton Fountain, Phil Gramm, Linda Powell
46. Marblehead, Massachusetts
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 20,397
- Famous people: 42
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.9 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Jessica Pressler, Rob Delaney, Elbridge Gerry, Loyd Grossman, Susan Estrich
45. Highland Park, Michigan
Source: TracieMichelle / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Source: TracieMichelle / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population: 9,304
- Famous people: 42
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Tim Meadows, Butch Hartman, Bill Haley, Steve Smith, John Conyers
44. Thomasville, Georgia
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Famous people: 43
- Population: 18,844
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Joanne Woodward, Charlie Ward, Dina Titus, Henry Ossian Flipper, Marcus Stroud
43. Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Source: Mvincec / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Mvincec / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 9,237
- Famous people: 43
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Pete Maravich, Darrelle Revis, Gust Avrakotos, Press Maravich, Kenny Easterday
42. Columbus, Mississippi
Source: cantanima / Flickr
Source: cantanima / Flickr
- Population: 23,858
- Famous people: 44
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.4 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Tennessee Williams, Andrew Wood, Leslie Frazier, Henry Armstrong, Red Barber
41. Maysville, Kentucky
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
- Population: 8,851
- Famous people: 44
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Rosemary Clooney, Nick Clooney, Betty Clooney, Albert Sidney Johnston, Darius Miller
40. Ottawa, Illinois
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
- Population: 18,719
- Famous people: 45
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Terrence Malick, Bob McGrath, Scotty Bowers, Johnston McCulley, Tim Finchem
39. Pascagoula, Mississippi
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 22,001
- Famous people: 46
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Jimmy Buffett, Melvin Booker, Sarah Thomas, Jennifer Palmieri, Konnor Pilkington
38. Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Source: roadgeek / Flickr
Source: roadgeek / Flickr
- Population: 7,764
- Famous people: 46
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Buzz Aldrin, Henry Selick, Kacy Catanzaro, Cindy Sherman, Jon Brion
37. Laguna Beach, California
Source: TraceRouda / iStock via Getty Images
Source: TraceRouda / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 23,121
- Famous people: 48
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.9 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Lauren Conrad, Graham Phillips, Lo Bosworth, Colt Brennan, Don Ed Hardy
36. West Point, New York
Source: PapaBear / iStock via Getty Images
Source: PapaBear / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 6,386
- Famous people: 48
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Gore Vidal, David Eisenhower, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Anne Eisenhower, Tony Hale
35. Hibbing, Minnesota
Source: McGhiever / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 16,224
- Famous people: 49
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.5 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Roger Maris, Kevin McHale, Vincent Bugliosi, Chi Chi LaRue, Bethany McLean
34. Freeport, Illinois
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 24,087
- Famous people: 49
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Calista Flockhart, Gerald McClellan, Ravi Patel, Louella Parsons, Ken Behring
33. McComb, Mississippi
Source: C5Media / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Source: C5Media / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population: 12,400
- Famous people: 49
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 8.7 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Britney Spears, Brandy Norwood, Jamie Lynn Spears, Ray J (William Ray Norwood, Jr.), Bo Diddley (Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel)
32. Mount Kisco, New York
Source: dougtone / Flickr
Source: dougtone / Flickr
- Population: 10,904
- Famous people: 50
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 6.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Caitlyn Jenner, Laura Branigan, John Schneider, Gavin MacLeod, Ann Blyth
31. Mililani Mauka, Hawaii
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 21,657
- Famous people: 51
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.1 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Travis Browne, Janel Parrish, Caitlin Doughty, Leilani Jones, Sunny Garcia
30. Red Bank, New Jersey
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 12,825
- Famous people: 51
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Kevin Smith, Natalie Schafer, William James “Count” Basie, Abigail Spanberger, Billy Van Zandt
29. Tuskegee, Alabama
Source: NNehring / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Source: NNehring / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Population: 9,125
- Famous people: 52
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 4.1 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Rosa Parks, Lionel Richie, Robin Roberts, Ajiona Alexus, Tom Joyner
28. Manhasset, New York
Source: HaizhanZheng / iStock via Getty Images
Source: HaizhanZheng / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 8,093
- Famous people: 52
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 3.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Billy Crudup, Chris Jericho, Summer Rae, Sean Spicer, Patrick McEnroe
27. Laurel, Mississippi
Source: jacroe / Flickr
Source: jacroe / Flickr
- Population: 17,375
- Number of famous people: 53
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.7 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Marsha Blackburn, Lance Bass, Ray Walston, Leontyne Price
26. Clarksdale, Mississippi
Source: Kirkikis / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Source: Kirkikis / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population: 15,124
- Number of famous people: 53
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.5 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Sam Cooke, Ike Turner, John Lee Hooker, Terrence Metcalf, Raymond Hill
25. Clarksburg, West Virginia
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 16,085
- Number of famous people: 54
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Stonewall Jackson (Confederate general), Jimbo Fisher, John W. Davis, Sherilyn Wolter, Hugh Aynesworth
24. Ashland, Kentucky
Source: Wendy Van / iStock via Getty Images
Source: Wendy Van / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 21,695
- Number of famous people: 55
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 6.1 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Naomi Judd, Trace Cyrus, Keith Whitley, Lynndie England, Gina Haspel
23. Exeter, New Hampshire
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 9,908
- Number of famous people: 55
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.4 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Dan Brown, John Irving, Matty Cardarople, Victoria Arlen, Lewis Cass
22. Burlington, Iowa
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr
- Population: 24,160
- Number of famous people: 57
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 3.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Kurt Warner, William Frawley, Robert Noyce, Aldo Leopold, Bart Howard
21. Winchester, Massachusetts
Source: flySnow / iStock via Getty Images
Source: flySnow / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 22,875
- Number of famous people: 58
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Richard Phillips, Jon Favreau, Bobbi Gibb, Brad Whitford, Glen Doherty
20. Butler, Pennsylvania
Source: dougtone / Flickr
Source: dougtone / Flickr
- Population: 13,452
- Number of famous people: 60
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.6 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Bret Michaels, Barbara Feldon, Big John Studd (John William Minton), Paul Posluszny, Mike Kelly
19. Anniston, Alabama
Source: jjneff / iStock via Getty Images
Source: jjneff / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 21,455
- Number of famous people: 61
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.5 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Michael Biehn, Nannie Doss, Jonathan Allen, Audrey Marie Hilley, Asa Earl Carter
18. Orangeburg, South Carolina
Source: Wirestock / iStock via Getty Images
Source: Wirestock / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 12,779
- Number of famous people: 62
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.5 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Shawnee Smith, Manish Dayal, Shelton Benjamin, Jaime Harrison, Monique Coleman
17. Hinsdale, Illinois
Source: jferrer / iStock via Getty Images
Source: jferrer / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 17,148
- Number of famous people: 64
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Chris Klein, Danielle Campbell, Nicholle Tom, John Lynch, Dizzy Reed
16. Pleasantville, New York
Source: dougtone / Flickr
Source: dougtone / Flickr
- Population: 7,469
- Number of famous people: 66
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 3.0 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Mandy Rose, Ashley Williams, Kyle Kulinski, Felicia Farr, Andy Daly
15. Mineola, New York
Source: AITFFan1 / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 20,837
- Number of famous people: 71
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 4.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Lenny Bruce, Kevin James, Joel Rifkin, Michael Burns, Emmy Clarke
14. Washington, Pennsylvania
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 13,322
- Number of famous people: 77
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.4 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Paige Spara, Janet Woodcock, Eddie Jones, Joseph A. Walker
13. Newburyport, Massachusetts
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 18,282
- Number of famous people: 82
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 3.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Leadership
- Famous people: Joe Keery, Judith Hoag, William Lloyd Garrison, Adolphus Greely, Charles D. Baker
12. Decatur, Georgia
Source: leeco / Flickr
Source: leeco / Flickr
- Population: 24,334
- Number of famous people: 85
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Michael Stipe, Jan Hooks, Tone Bell, Kiera Hogan, Gale Harold
11. Steubenville, Ohio
Source: Jimkolmus / Wikimedia Commons
Source: Jimkolmus / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 18,122
- Number of famous people: 86
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 3.6 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Dean Martin, Traci Lords (Nora Louise Kuzma), Rollie Fingers, Jimmy Snyder, Edwin Stanton
10. West Chester, Pennsylvania
Source: aimintang / iStock via Getty Images
Source: aimintang / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 18,592
- Number of famous people: 88
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 6.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Bam Margera, Matisyahu (Matthew Paul Miller), Smedley Butler, Carl Nassib, Matthew McGrory
9. Huntington, New York
Source: Marlon Trottmann / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Source: Marlon Trottmann / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population: 19,397
- Number of famous people: 89
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 7.9 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Mariah Carey, Torrey DeVitto, LP (Laura Pergolizzi), Carey Lowell, Alicia Coppola
8. Kingston, New York
Source: OlegAlbinsky / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Source: OlegAlbinsky / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Population: 23,972
- Number of famous people: 91
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.0 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Peter Bogdanovich, John Glover, Josh Green, Ross Partridge, Henry Paul
7. Summit, New Jersey
Source: dougtone / Flickr
Source: dougtone / Flickr
- Population: 22,598
- Number of famous people: 92
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Meryl Streep, Gerard Way, Sean Baker, Miles Austin, Desi Lydic
6. East St. Louis, Illinois
Source: pasa / Flickr
Source: pasa / Flickr
- Population: 19,437
- Number of famous people: 100
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 2.6 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Jimmy Connors, Shelley Winters, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Cuonzo Martin
5. Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Source: Ii2nmd / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 5,573
- Number of famous people: 107
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.2 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Jayne Marie Mansfield, A.J. Croce, Margaretta Large “Happy” Rockefeller, Alex Ross Perry, Christopher Fitzgerald
4. Fairfax, Virginia
Source: Idawriter / Wikimedia Commons
- Population: 23,980
- Number of famous people: 116
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 7.3 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Jason Sudeikis, Ariel Winter, Jimmy Workman, Shanelle Workman, Serena Deeb
3. Greenwich, Connecticut
Source: stockphoto52 / iStock via Getty Images
Source: stockphoto52 / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 13,978
- Number of famous people: 119
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 5.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Glenn Close, Bijou Phillips, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Ross, Hope Hicks
2. Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Source: WilliamSherman / iStock via Getty Images
Source: WilliamSherman / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 18,647
- Number of famous people: 130
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 1.7 million
- Primary field of famous people: Sports
- Famous people: Steve Ditko, Carroll Baker, Frank Solich, Jack Ham, Alex Azar
1. Morristown, New Jersey
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
- Population: 20,003
- Number of famous people: 142
- Annual Wikipedia views for famous people: 5.8 million
- Primary field of famous people: Culture
- Famous people: Peter Dinklage, Linda Hunt, Fran Lebowitz, Steve Forbes, Joe Dante