Austin is showing off its fun-loving side in WalletHub's new ranking of the top 10 most fun cities in America in 2024.
The annual report ranked Austin No. 6 this year, moving the city up one spot from its 2023 ranking as No. 7.
WalletHub's experts compared 182 U.S. cities across 65 metrics to determine the level of "fun" for each city. The metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.
According to the study's findings, Austin performed the best in the overall nightlife and parties category (No. 7), and ranked No. 18 for its "entertainment and recreation" rank. That may be especially alluring for Gen Zers, who move to new cities like Austin based on its vast entertainment opportunities, dining destinations, and more.
Austin performed the worst in the overall cost category, but it technically only ranked No. 50 out of all 182 cities, which demonstrates just how affordable Austin is in comparison to the rest of the country. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living. Austin might be a lot more fun to people visiting from cities with much higher incomes than it is to locals.
Potential Austinites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.
"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.
Houston (No. 9) was the only other Texas city to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list, moving up 10 spots from its rank as No. 19 in 2023.
Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are San Antonio (No. 25), Dallas (No. 31), El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).
The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:
- No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
- No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
- No. 3 – Miami, Florida
- No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
- No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
- No. 6 – Austin, Texas
- No. 7 – San Francisco, California
- No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
- No. 9 – Houston, Texas
- No. 10 – New York City, New York
Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.