Living in the big city isn't for everyone, which is why many are flocking to the suburbs and less-populated cities around Austin. To demonstrate the popularity of suburban and rural communities, a new study by WalletHub has identified five Austin suburbs on their 2024 list of the "Best Small Cities in America."
The extensive report compared over 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 residents based on 45 livability metrics across five main categories: Affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life, and overall safety. Cities were grouped by percentile, where the 99th percentile encompasses the top one percent of small American cities.
A total 19 U.S. cities all qualified in the top 99th percentile of best small cities in America, but the top three that stood out above the rest were Carmel, Indiana; Brookfield, Wisconsin; and Lexington, Massachusetts.
Leading the pack as the best small city in the Austin area is Leander, which is just 25 miles northwest of downtown Austin. The suburb ranked in the 97th percentile and had the No. 2 best "economic health" rank out of all U.S. cities in the report. Leander also earned a No. 49 rank in the national "affordability" category.
According to the city's website, Leander has a population of more than 72,000 residents. The North Austin suburb has enjoyed some time in the spotlight this year after being crowned one of the most livable small cities earlier in 2024. Plus, Leander's 78641 ZIP code was revealed as one of the hottest housing markets in 2023.
Besides the cost-saving benefits of escaping a big city, there's a lot more to enjoy living in a smaller community like Leander, according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
"On top of that, the best small cities offer strong job markets, high-quality education, good health care, safe living conditions, and plenty of local flair to help you achieve a high quality of life," Lupo said. "While small cities may lack some advantages of big cities, like robust public transportation systems, they make up for these shortcomings in other areas."
The only other Austin-area city to rank in the top 90-99th percentile range was Cedar Park, which ranked 95th. Cedar Park is situated just south of Leander, 20 miles northwest of downtown Austin, and has a population of under 83,000 residents. This safe suburb is a popular choice for Austinites and out-of-towners alike, and it was praised as one of the best Texas cities to move to in March 2024.
Texans love Cedar Park.
Courtesy of Cedar Park Center
Other Austin-area cities that appeared in the top 50th percentile of the best small American cities list include Pflugerville (86th), Georgetown (83rd), and Kyle (61st).
The best small cities across the Lone Star State
The highest ranking Texas city in the report is Rockwall, a suburb located less than 24 miles northeast of Dallas. The city appeared in the 97th percentile (the same as Leander) with its highest rankings in the "safety" (No. 61) and "economic health" (No. 91) categories.
Rockwall has a Census-estimated population of just under 53,000 residents as of July 2023. Its consistent growth has planted seeds for some new fan-favorite grocery stores, including a Sprouts Farmers Market, plus new restaurants and sports bars galore.
Two additional Texas cities appeared in the 90-99th percentile range: The Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs of Allen (96th) and Flower Mound (93rd).
The top 10 best small cities in Texas, based on WalletHub's data, are:
- 97th percentile – Rockwall and Leander (tie)
- 96th – Allen
- 95th – Cedar Park
- 93rd – Flower Mound
- 89th – New Braunfels
- 87th – Southlake
- 86th – Pflugerville
- 85th – Little Elm
- 83rd – Georgetown
The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.
