Best in Class
Austin once again claims title of very best place to live in nation
Once again, U.S. News & World Report has crowned Austin the No. 1 place to live in the U.S. This marks the second year in a row the Capital City has taken the top spot.
The publication describes Austin this way: “People are drawn to the Texas capital’s music, outdoor spaces, and cultural institutions.” Rounding out the top three are the Colorado cities of Colorado Springs (No. 2) and Denver (No. 3).
Austin isn't the only Lone Star city to nab a spot on the list. San Antonio appears at No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live report card for 2018. And while that puts San Antonio behind Austin, the Alamo City sits ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth (No. 18) and Houston (No. 26).
Here are snippets of what U.S. News & World Report observed about Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
- Dallas-Fort Worth — “Offering both big-city excitement and quiet, suburban living, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area offers an interesting mix of Texas pride and cosmopolitan offerings. The cowboy life still exists in Fort Worth, while Dallasites love the trendy local bars and numerous retail shops.”
- Houston — “The Houston metro area attracts people with an entrepreneurial spirit and those who want to work at some of the country's largest companies. Not only is Houston the hub of the oil and gas industries, but it's also a major center of manufacturing and health care.”
- San Antonio — "San Antonio is as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. It offers big-city amenities and world-renowned attractions coupled with a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.”
U.S. News & World Report compared five factors in grading 125 metro areas:
- Net migration: the difference between the number of people moving to and from an area.
- Desirability: the allure of a region for potential residents.
- Value: a region’s affordability.
- Quality of life: a mix of indicators for categories like commute times, crime rates, health care, and education.
- Job market: salary levels and job availability.
“When deciding on a place to settle down, it’s important to understand that where a person lives can impact their well-being,” Kim Castro, executive editor of U.S. News, says in a release.
“U.S. News created the Best Places to Live to highlight areas across the country that have the characteristics residents are looking for, including steady job growth and affordability. The top-ranked places are areas where citizens can feel the most fulfilled socially, physically, and financially.”