Communities in the Best Small Town Art Scene include those with populations of less than 30,000. Rahway just snuck under the cut with an estimate population 29,911, according to July 1, 2021 Census figures.

You can vote once per day until voting ends July 4. Winners will be announced on July 15 at noon.

The 10Best Readers’ Choice said the same thing about Rahway as it did in the 2021 poll:

“Rahway, a former industrial town of just under 30,000 residents, has reinvented itself as an artist community with a walkable downtown area. The Rahway Arts District features the Hamilton Stage theater and Union County Performing Arts Center. Each year, the town hosts the Cultural Crawl, bringing together musicians, visual artists, craft artisans and performing artists.”

Last year, Rahway finished second in the voting to Tubac, Ariz., after being in the lead during the several weeks of voting. In announcing last year’s results, USA TODAY said: “Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to these 10 small towns, each with a population of fewer than 30,000 people (as of the last census). What each lacks in size, it makes up for with a big art scene – museums, art galleries, performing arts and busy event calendars.

After voting opened last week, Rahway was at No. 2, and as of yesterday it ranked  No. 5, ahead of Manitou Springs, Colo., and behind Lucas, Kansas.

Rahway is up against the same 19 other communities that were in the 2021 Best Small Town Arts Scene poll, which includes five others in the Northeast:

• Bandon, Ore.
• Berea, Ky.
• Carmel-By-The-Sea, Calif.
• Cody, Wyo.
• Eureka Springs, Ark.
• Gatlinburg, Tenn.
• Hudson, N.Y.
• Lincoln, Mass.
• Lucas, Kan.
• Madrid, N.M.
• Manitou Springs, Colo.
• Marfa, Texas
• Sag Harbor, N.Y.
• Spring Green, Wisc.
• Stockbridge, Mass.
• Taos, N.M.
• Tubac, Ariz.
• West Rutland, Vt.
• Yellow Springs, Ohio