For the second year in a row, Emporia Main Street is being recognized as one of the two very best main street programs in the nation.
It was announced Wednesday morning that Emporia finished in second place in voting in the 2025 USA Today 10Best Main Street in America competition. As mentioned, this is the second consecutive year Main Street has been nominated for the honor and the third time overall, with Emporia winning the competition back in 2016.
While speaking with KVOE News Wednesday, Main Street Director Casey Woods expressed his excitement for the latest recognition, saying it demonstrates the connection and “sense of ownership” the community has with the organization.
He adds the recognition will serve as a motivator to continue improving Main Street’s work and reach within the community, especially when it comes to strengthening and supporting local business growth.
Finishing in first place was Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 20 main street programs were nominated for the honor, with voting taking place between March 10 and April 7. The top ten communities that received votes were recognized. The list of placements is as follows.
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Emporia, Kansas
- Ogden, Utah
- Howell, Michigan
- Grapevine, Texas
- Virginia City, Nevada
- McMinnville, Oregon
- Paso Robles, California
- Winchester, Virginia
- Safety Harbor, Florida
