Photo courtesy of Experience Fayetteville.

Across the Heartland — the 20 states that make up the middle of America — communities of all sizes are proving that great cities for biking aren’t just on the coasts. From the network of protected bike lanes of Minneapolis to the interconnected greenways across Northwest Arkansas, local leaders and advocates are making dedicated investments in bike infrastructure to give more people safe and easy ways to move around their communities. 

The Heartland includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Image courtesy of Heartland Forward.

This year’s City Ratings, PeopleForBikes’ annual program ranking the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the globe, highlights the growing momentum toward more connected and mobile communities being built across the Heartland. Cities and towns of all sizes throughout the region are committing to safer streets, investing in protected infrastructure, and offering expanded mobility options for residents and visitors alike.

City Ratings scores are evaluated on a scale of 0-100, with a score of 50 seen as the tipping point to becoming a great city for biking.

Top Five Large Heartland Cities:

• Minneapolis, MN: 72
• St. Paul, MN: 62
• Milwaukee, WI: 50
• Detroit, MI: 43
• Cleveland, OH: 37

Top Five Midsize Heartland Cities:

• Ankeny, IA: 65
• La Crosse, WI: 65
• Ames, IA: 64
• Madison, WI: 61
• Grand Forks, ND: 59

Top Five Small Heartland Cities:

• Mackinac Island, MI: 100
• Sauk City, WI: 90
• Washburn, WI: 89
• Fayette, MO: 89
• Murdock, NE: 89

Top Five Arkansas Cities 

• Fayetteville, AR: 51
• Bentonville, AR: 46
• Bella Vista, AR: 44
• Rogers, AR: 38
• Springdale, AR: 34

Big Cities, Big Commitments

Minneapolis (72) is a long-time national leader in building high quality bike infrastructure. Last year, Minneapolis ranked as the top large city for biking in the entire U.S. thanks to their  connected network of protected bike lanes, off-street trails, and low-speed neighborhood streets. Just across the river, St. Paul, Minnesota, earned a score of 61, showing that connectivity and bikeability does not stop at city borders.

Meanwhile, other Midwest metropolitan areas like Milwaukee (50) and Detroit (43) are gaining ground by reimagining how streets serve all road users, no matter how they choose to get around. Cleveland (37) rounds out the top five big cities, signaling a growing interest in improved active transportation in numerous states across the Heartland.

Midsize Cities, Major Impact

Heartland cities in the mid-size category are proving that big progress doesn’t only happen in big cities. La Crosse, Wisconsin (65), saw a four-point rise over last year’s ratings, highlighting an ongoing commitment to investing in safe places to ride that make it easier for residents to get from where they live to where they need to go. In college towns like Ames, Iowa (64), and Madison, Wisconsin (61), city planners are building connections between parks, schools, and downtowns to make commuting by bike an option for everyday trips.

Small Towns, Significant Inspiration

Some of the most exciting stories in City Ratings each year come from the smallest dots on the map. The car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan, leads all U.S. cities — not just those in the Heartland — with the first perfect score of 100 in City Ratings program history. Sauk City, Wisconsin (90), a newcomer to this year’s ratings, and Washburn, Wisconsin (89), both helped the Badger State secure the top spot as the best state for biking in the Heartland, with an average population-weighted score of 48. These small cities are classic examples of communities where people are able to easily rely on bikes for trips to the grocery store, doctor's office, post office, or any everyday destination. 

Fayette, Missouri, and Murdock, Nebraska, both scoring 89, are also punching above their weight. Their success offers a blueprint for other small towns across the U.S. looking to boost livability, health, and economic opportunity through better bike access.

Riders explore the Art Trail at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, one of many off-street paths connecting residents and visitors to destinations across the city by bike. Photo courtesy of Patty Valencia.

Arkansas is on the Rise

Arkansas continues to build a strong cycling culture, with five cities represented in this year’s regional rankings. Alongside Arkansas’ top city Fayetteville (51), cities like Bentonville (46) — home to world-class mountain bike trails — and Bella Vista (44) are showing how cycling can become a core part of a city's identity. Rogers (38) and Springdale (34) round out the list, showcasing the tremendous work being done to transform the entire Northwest Arkansas region into a haven for biking — both for recreation and transportation.

What unites these Heartland communities isn’t just geography. It’s the shared commitment to creating places where people can move freely, safely, and joyfully. Whether it's a big-city investment in protected bike lanes or a small-town push for a network of slow streets, the efforts all add up to something bigger: a future where everyone can access the countless benefits of biking.

To learn more about PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings and see how your city scored in this year’s ratings, head to cityratings.peopleforbikes.org.

Want to make your community a great place to ride a bike? Improve your city’s score with PeopleForBikes’ resources. Together, we can make biking better for everyone!