Vandalia, MO

Set along U.S. 54 in northeast Missouri, Vandalia is a quiet, tight-knit town that sits right on the border of Audrain and Ralls counties. Life here has revolved around its railway roots since the 1870s, a history you can still see at Railroad Park, where locals gather each fall for the annual Prairie Days festival. Between its easy highway access, peaceful residential streets, and location less than thirty miles from the Mississippi River, it is an appealing spot for anyone looking for unhurried small-town living.