Veteran planners know that what gets written down gets done, andthe same goes for financial success. Companies and individuals whocreate a budget do a better job of managing their money.

Research indicates, however, that three out of every five adultsdo not effectively budget their money, and 13% have little idea ofwhere their money goes. Armed with these assumptions, personalfinance social network WalletHub recently conducted an in-depth analysis of 150 U.S.metropolitan statistical areas to see which had the best and worstbudgeters.

Using 16 key metrics, ranging from credit scores to the numberof unbanked households, WalletHub came up with the followinglists:

Metro areas with the best budgeters included:

1. Sioux Empire (Sioux Falls, S.D., metro area)
2. Fargo/Moorhead, N.D.
3. Rochester, Minn.
4. Greater Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area)
5. Boston
6. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
7. Des Moines
8. San Francisco
9. Lincoln, Neb.
10. Siouxland (Sioux City, Iowa, and surroundings)

Metro Areas with the Worst Budgeters

1. Greater Jackson, Miss.
2. Albany, Ga.
3. Las Vegas Valley
4. Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss.
5. Columbus, Ga.
6. Macon, Ga.
7. Augusta, Ga.
8. Alexandria, La.
9. Shreveport, La.
10. Savannah, Ga.

In terms of specifics, WalletHub measured and reported on anumber of budgetary aspects.

The metro area with the highest credit score was Rochester, Minn. In the remaining top five,the Greater Twin Cities; Greater Green Bay, Wis.; and the SiouxEmpire, S.D., tied for second place. Tying for fifth place wereMadison, Wis.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.

The lowest credit scores of 150 metro areas included: 150.Albany, Ga.; 149. Los Angeles' Inland Empire; 148. Brownsville,Texas; 147. Laredo, Texas; and 146. Greater Jackson, Miss.

Metro areas with the lowest non-mortgage debt as a percent ofmedian income were: 1. Washington, D.C.; 2. San Francisco; 3.Honolulu; 4. Boston; and 5. Rochester, Minn.

Metro areas out of 150 with the highest non-mortgage debt as apercent of median income were: 150. Albany, Ga.; 149. Brownsville,Texas; 148. Monroe, La.; 147. Fort Smith, Ark.; and 146. Waco,Texas.

Other areas measured in the study included lowest and highestforeclosure rate, lowest and highest credit usage, and 12 othercategories.

WalletHub suggested that in order to be better budgeters,consumers rank expenses, create an emergency fund, separate debtfrom daily expenses, pay off debt with the highest interest ratefirst, understand spending triggers and work to eliminatetemptation to buy pricey unnecessary items.