In a land where everything is famously bigger, uncovering the best places to live in Texas requires swallowing your Texas pride.
Take a step back and look at the data to determine which Texas cities are bigger and better.
Unlike other sites that randomly decide Austin has to be the best place to live, we stick to the cold hard facts from sources like the Census, Zillow, and FBI. For this study, we compared factors like crime, incomes, real estate prices, and schools for the 354 places in Texas with over 5,000 people.
So, grab your Tex-Mex and a margarita as we look at the top ten best places to live in Texas.
People in Texas live 77.1 years on average — 27th in the nation; see how every state stacks up in our life expectancy by state ranking.
$250,001 median income · $2,420,171 median home · #1 best place in Texas
Located in
Dallas County, Texas
University Park is a Dallas suburb of 25,155 people that has a lot going for it. With a median age of 29, University Park is the youngest city to make this list, so you know it’s a vibrant place with fresh ideas. It’s also the 2nd most densely-populated city in Texas, which adds to the dynamism here. And with Dallas right there, you can be in America’s largest urban art district in under 15 minutes.
In general, residents of University Park don’t have money problems, because they’re the 2nd best-paid workers in Texas, pulling in around $250,001/year. Moneyed individuals don’t often go in for crime, and that holds true in University Park, where violent crime is the 18th lowest in Texas and the total crime rateis 50% lower than the national average.
Add to that top-notch schools and an excellent housing market, and you’ve got a recipe for the best place to call home in Texas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$201,054 median income · $701,041 median home · #2 best place in Texas
Located in
Tarrant County, Texas
An affluent suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Trophy Club comes in as the 2nd best place to live in Texas for 2026. As the town with the 5th lowest rate of crime in the state, Trophy Club is one of the safest places to live in Texas.
Trophy Club is also younger than most places on this list, with a median age of 43. The young folks are doing quite well for themselves, because the median household income in Trophy Club is $201,054/year. Combined with home prices of around $701,041, Trophy Club actually has the lowest overall cost of living among the cities featured here. And having the 12th lowest rate of poverty in Texas means that everyone in Trophy Club gets in on the good times.
Don’t worry about a dearth of activity here, because in just 30 minutes you can find yourself at Fort Worth’s Sundance Square, where the nightlife is popping.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$218,328 median income · $913,049 median home · #3 best place in Texas
Located in
Tarrant County, Texas
Another Dallas-Fort worth suburb, Colleyville is a city of 26,012 with across the board strong statistics. Noted for its consistently high-ranking public schools, you’d better believe kids who grow up in Colleyville get off on the right foot. Evidently, the importance of education transcends age, because about 30% of Colleyville’s residents kept earning degrees after earning their bachelor’s.
That work ethic really pays off for Colleyville’s residents, who earn the 9th highest pay in Texas, around $218,328/year. And since smart people with good jobs don’t have much reason to go around committing crimes, Colleyville also has the 16th lowest crime rate in the state, about 75% lower than the national average.
As for escaping the hustle and bustle of the big cities, not many cities on this list can boast having a 46-acre natural refuge, complete with nine ponds and countless fishing spots. Colleyville can, though.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$250,001 median income · $1,560,991 median home · #4 best place in Texas
Located in
Harris County, Texas
Kicking off our list of best places to live in Texas is West University Place, an affluent suburb of Houston. As the most densely-populated city in Texas, West University Place is sure to have enough activity even for your most social of social butterflies. I mean, in just fifteen minutes you can be at an Astros game or Houston’s world-class Museum of Natural Science, depending on your inclination.
Over half of the population in West University Place has a master’s degree or higher, so you know that folks here aren’t dummies. All those fancy diplomas really pay off for residents, because at $250,001/year, West University Place has the 2nd highest median income in Texas. And since people with good jobs usually also have health insurance, West University place also has the 11th highest rate of insured residents in the state.
Nobody gets left out of the good times in West University Place, as evidenced by the city’s ranking as the place with the 8th lowest poverty level in Texas. Seeing as poverty and crime usually go hand in hand, it’s no surprise that West University Place also boasts the 14th lowest rate of violent crime in Texas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$183,088 median income · $731,192 median home · #5 best place in Texas
Located in
Bexar County, Texas
We’re heading back down to the greater San Antonio area to arrive at our 5th best city in Texas, Alamo Heights. Alamo Heights is a city of 7,492 people almost completely surrounded by the bigger city, which helps give it the title of 9th most densely populated city in Texas. Those who like to be in the center of the action will find plenty to love in Alamo Heights. It’s also a great jumping off point for getting to Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas’ largest underground attraction and a serene, but strangely eerie, spot to spend the day.
Alamo Heights has a diverse population, high-quality public schools, and hot markets for both jobs and housing. It’s also the place with the 3rd highest rate of insured residents in Texas, with 97.6% of people being covered.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$146,235 median income · $619,492 median home · #6 best place in Texas
Located in
Denton County, Texas
A bedroom community of the Dallas-Fort Worth Area, Coppell is a city of 42,154 that ranks as the 6th best place to live in Texas. Coppell is a place where the economy works for everyone, as evidenced by the super-low rates of unemployment (2.6%) and poverty (5.4%). It also has one of the premier educational systems in the state, with GreatSchools giving Coppell’s schools an average score of 8/10 (with plenty of 10/10s available, depending on your district).
All these things are great indicators of Coppell’s high quality, but we haven’t come to the city’s best feature: being only ten minutes away from the Legoland Discovery Center. At 41, Coppell has a lower median age than most places listed here, so we think residents’ Lego appreciation is proportionally higher.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$174,950 median income · $652,144 median home · #7 best place in Texas
Located in
Tarrant County, Texas
We’re going to stick around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to wrap up our list of best places in Texas with Keller, a suburb of 45,976. There’s no one statistic that earns Keller a spot on this list. Is the school system way above average? Yes. Is the crime rate among the lowest in the state? You betcha. Are poverty and unemployment rates hovering around 3%? You’d better believe it.
Folks in Keller earn the 18th highest salaries in Texas, with a median household income of $174,950. Of all the places on this list, the cost of living in Keller is second-lowest only to Trophy Club. As an extra attraction, having the top-notch Keller Farmer’s Market and Keller Pointe athletics center right in your neighborhood means it’s easy to eat healthy and stay active here. That’s the kind of quality that pays dividends down the road.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$250,001 median income · $1,301,365 median home · #8 best place in Texas
Located in
Tarrant County, Texas
Next up #8: Southlake – a Dallas/Fort Worth suburb located about 25 miles north of the city centers near DFW airport. Theres plenty to do if you live in Southlake. There are restaurants like Taverna Rossa and TruFire and shopping nearby. And there’s Summit Park on Main Street.
Homes here will cost you a pretty penny – with the median price being 250,001, but thats a bargain compared to some other places on this list. People here are making a cool 250,001 a year and the poverty and unemployment rates are both under 4%.
The public schools are fantastic – with 96% of high school students reading at the correct level and a 94% graduation rate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$120,580 median income · $410,565 median home · #9 best place in Texas
Located in
Denton County, Texas
If you’re hunting for the best places to live in Texas, Corinth is a Denton County community that delivers. Just north of Dallas, this 23,385 community pulls a median income of $120,580 while keeping unemployment at a razor thin 1.9% and poverty at just 3.5%.
When you need a break from the metroplex grind, the Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area is right next door for hiking, birding, and general decompression. At a median home value of $410,565, Corinth more than earns its spot among the best Texas neighborhoods and places to live, ranking at #9 on our list.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$161,235 median income · $609,719 median home · #10 best place in Texas
Located in
Tarrant County, Texas
Flower Mound is another northern suburb in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area located on Grapevine Lake. Flower Mound ranks as the 10th best place to call home in the Lone Star State.
People who live here say Flower Mound is a beautiful town with a heart of gold. They say people are always friendly, no matter if you’re a friend or a stranger. And, maybe everyone is in a good mood because they never have to sit in traffic. The only drawback is youd have to drive into Dallas or Fort Worth for work, and those places are not as charming.
Home prices in Flower Mound are the 10th most expensive in Texas, at around $609,719. But, you get what you pay for. Its super safe here and the schools are the best in the state when you measure performance and the budget they have. And about 3 in 4 people in Flower Mound have a college degree, so lots of people are smart.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Texas’s statewide median.
Texas statewide median: $78,476
Texas statewide median: $300,957
Texas statewide median: 5.3%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Texas
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Texas
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Texas, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Texas have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Texas across a number of criteria from one to 354, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Texas.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Texas’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Texas. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with University Park at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Texas Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Park | 37.85 | 25,155 | 3.6% | $2,420,171 | $250,001 | 1,503 | |
| 2 | Trophy Club | 38.90 | 13,733 | 2.0% | $701,041 | $201,054 | 408 | |
| 3 | Colleyville | 43.95 | 26,012 | 3.0% | $913,049 | $218,328 | 569 | |
| 4 | West University Place | 44.35 | 14,982 | 5.9% | $1,560,991 | $250,001 | 1,028 | |
| 5 | Alamo Heights | 52.65 | 7,492 | 2.2% | $731,192 | $183,088 | 3,043 | |
| 6 | Coppell | 53.25 | 42,154 | 2.6% | $619,492 | $146,235 | 916 | |
| 7 | Keller | 55.60 | 45,976 | 2.7% | $652,144 | $174,950 | 742 | |
| 8 | Southlake | 56.95 | 31,137 | 2.7% | $1,301,365 | $250,001 | 1,031 | |
| 9 | Corinth | 57.85 | 23,385 | 1.9% | $410,565 | $120,580 | 761 | |
| 10 | Flower Mound | 61.95 | 78,389 | 3.4% | $609,719 | $161,235 | 657 | |
| 11 | Woodway | 64.55 | 9,570 | 2.5% | $368,723 | $115,108 | 1,087 | |
| 12 | Highland Park | 65.35 | 8,773 | 4.5% | $2,891,619 | $250,001 | 2,496 | |
| 13 | Murphy | 67.20 | 21,188 | 4.2% | $571,960 | $175,699 | 510 | |
| 14 | Bellaire | 71.95 | 17,206 | 3.7% | $1,164,142 | $244,015 | 2,575 | |
| 15 | Terrell Hills | 74.05 | 5,070 | 4.3% | $883,660 | $186,400 | 1,755 | |
| 16 | Allen | 74.90 | 110,265 | 3.7% | $493,532 | $130,901 | 1,016 | |
| 17 | Lakeway | 78.90 | 19,307 | 3.5% | $741,100 | $190,060 | 1,290 | |
| 18 | McKinney | 80.05 | 210,600 | 3.7% | $481,963 | $124,215 | 971 | |
| 19 | Friendswood | 80.10 | 41,030 | 4.4% | $457,135 | $126,508 | 641 | |
| 20 | Frisco | 83.00 | 219,304 | 4.6% | $656,758 | $150,212 | 1,172 | |
| 21 | Fulshear | 84.95 | 34,868 | 2.8% | $505,480 | $187,035 | 315 | |
| 22 | Cedar Park | 85.25 | 78,301 | 4.5% | $471,699 | $129,545 | 1,278 | |
| 23 | Sugar Land | 87.75 | 110,016 | 4.1% | $447,176 | $136,217 | 1,432 | |
| 24 | Hickory Creek | 88.95 | 5,611 | 1.2% | $494,276 | $148,852 | 998 | |
| 25 | Sachse | 92.00 | 30,491 | 5.2% | $433,037 | $131,808 | 918 | |
| 26 | Parker | 92.60 | 5,999 | 2.5% | $1,088,169 | $229,080 | 417 | |
| 27 | Plano | 94.70 | 290,594 | 4.0% | $498,989 | $112,253 | 1,623 | |
| 28 | Helotes | 95.90 | 9,630 | 5.0% | $462,259 | $132,675 | 1,173 | |
| 29 | Pearland | 96.70 | 127,514 | 3.3% | $382,157 | $118,842 | 1,546 | |
| 30 | Leander | 97.00 | 74,067 | 3.4% | $425,972 | $139,048 | 1,253 | |
| 31 | Lumberton | 97.10 | 13,963 | 2.5% | $278,475 | $107,623 | 551 | |
| 32 | Hewitt | 97.25 | 16,432 | 4.2% | $297,538 | $83,511 | 1,302 | |
| 33 | Krum | 97.40 | 6,189 | 0.7% | $338,248 | $124,405 | 549 | |
| 34 | Argyle | 98.05 | 5,371 | 3.5% | $594,342 | $181,352 | 633 | |
| 35 | Melissa | 98.40 | 20,136 | 3.6% | $434,769 | $138,763 | 521 | |
| 36 | Canyon | 100.15 | 15,723 | 3.1% | $295,887 | $69,772 | 770 | |
| 37 | Bee Cave | 101.25 | 8,862 | 3.1% | $823,338 | $111,172 | 2,686 | |
| 38 | Celina | 101.30 | 34,268 | 2.8% | $546,742 | $170,894 | 1,071 | |
| 39 | Mansfield | 102.05 | 77,510 | 3.9% | $444,293 | $121,126 | 1,533 | |
| 40 | Wylie | 102.15 | 60,334 | 4.0% | $421,548 | $119,522 | 955 | |
| 41 | Lake Dallas | 102.55 | 7,822 | 2.8% | $347,097 | $76,879 | 690 | |
| 42 | Fair Oaks Ranch | 102.55 | 10,728 | 5.8% | $697,347 | $174,327 | 690 | |
| 43 | The Colony | 103.50 | 45,454 | 4.1% | $406,282 | $114,511 | 1,577 | |
| 44 | Justin | 104.00 | 5,447 | 5.5% | $371,851 | $114,157 | 1,046 | |
| 45 | Carrollton | 104.40 | 133,740 | 3.3% | $406,040 | $101,396 | 1,450 | |
| 46 | Fredericksburg | 105.25 | 11,419 | 4.3% | $517,758 | $64,534 | 657 | |
| 47 | Wolfforth | 105.65 | 6,701 | 5.2% | $268,400 | $106,250 | 821 | |
| 48 | Hutto | 105.70 | 35,483 | 3.4% | $338,960 | $118,834 | 1,330 | |
| 49 | Bedford | 107.20 | 49,085 | 4.8% | $374,676 | $83,971 | 1,650 | |
| 50 | Round Rock | 109.05 | 127,786 | 3.8% | $407,077 | $99,287 | 2,170 | |
| 51 | Heath | 109.25 | 10,777 | 7.5% | $708,331 | $220,828 | 594 | |
| 52 | Burnet | 110.00 | 6,732 | 2.1% | $411,326 | $87,587 | 639 | |
| 53 | Boerne | 110.10 | 20,518 | 3.5% | $554,313 | $84,541 | 1,452 | |
| 54 | Aledo | 110.80 | 5,825 | 1.5% | $537,268 | $163,231 | 3,248 | |
| 55 | Buda | 110.85 | 15,859 | 3.4% | $354,685 | $123,766 | 1,816 | |
| 56 | Fate | 111.65 | 22,884 | 5.4% | $361,762 | $132,752 | 642 | |
| 57 | Prosper | 112.35 | 37,869 | 5.6% | $784,350 | $195,281 | 1,281 | |
| 58 | Rockwall | 112.80 | 51,168 | 4.4% | $480,553 | $115,580 | 1,626 | |
| 59 | Rowlett | 113.00 | 65,463 | 4.0% | $371,473 | $112,081 | 1,538 | |
| 60 | Cibolo | 113.35 | 35,109 | 6.8% | $335,092 | $122,365 | 1,065 | |
| 61 | Richardson | 116.00 | 118,731 | 5.0% | $440,400 | $98,111 | 1,967 | |
| 62 | Portland | 116.20 | 20,543 | 3.2% | $267,661 | $83,865 | 998 | |
| 63 | Iowa Park | 117.40 | 6,578 | 3.2% | $192,109 | $66,622 | 791 | |
| 64 | Harker Heights | 118.00 | 34,128 | 3.9% | $298,771 | $81,190 | 1,149 | |
| 65 | Alpine | 119.60 | 6,014 | 4.1% | $254,370 | $60,139 | 200 | |
| 66 | Nolanville | 119.80 | 6,690 | 3.0% | $311,057 | $72,480 | 882 | |
| 67 | Pflugerville | 120.10 | 65,971 | 5.3% | $377,293 | $117,799 | 1,789 | |
| 68 | Nassau Bay | 121.20 | 5,230 | 1.9% | $397,247 | $71,696 | 1,644 | |
| 69 | Robinson | 121.90 | 12,800 | 6.6% | $300,374 | $99,289 | 641 | |
| 70 | Grapevine | 121.90 | 51,139 | 4.7% | $552,148 | $111,376 | 2,237 | |
| 71 | Fairview | 122.60 | 10,783 | 4.4% | $660,166 | $109,347 | 1,011 | |
| 72 | Willow Park | 122.90 | 5,874 | 2.3% | $407,700 | $132,045 | 1,651 | |
| 73 | Whitehouse | 123.10 | 9,122 | 6.4% | $284,994 | $99,458 | 493 | |
| 74 | North Richland Hills | 123.35 | 70,780 | 3.2% | $367,728 | $97,305 | 2,455 | |
| 75 | Kerrville | 123.50 | 24,755 | 2.9% | $351,636 | $62,102 | 739 | |
| 76 | Burleson | 123.80 | 52,918 | 3.5% | $338,945 | $93,928 | 1,378 | |
| 77 | Bulverde | 123.95 | 6,486 | 1.4% | $476,432 | $112,188 | 2,482 | |
| 78 | Roanoke | 124.60 | 10,286 | 5.0% | $428,021 | $97,295 | 1,449 | |
| 79 | Van Alstyne | 125.20 | 5,952 | 0.6% | $433,827 | $102,469 | 974 | |
| 80 | Little Elm | 125.45 | 54,820 | 6.6% | $403,397 | $119,219 | 638 | |
| 81 | Iowa Colony | 125.85 | 12,891 | 4.9% | $339,032 | $144,092 | 721 | |
| 82 | Lewisville | 126.05 | 131,080 | 4.3% | $393,896 | $89,233 | 1,769 | |
| 83 | Sanger | 126.10 | 9,641 | 1.4% | $359,317 | $91,075 | 1,286 | |
| 84 | Deer Park | 126.70 | 33,967 | 5.8% | $280,749 | $100,382 | 1,345 | |
| 85 | Benbrook | 126.75 | 24,557 | 4.3% | $316,645 | $86,292 | 2,069 | |
| 86 | Addison | 127.80 | 17,290 | 2.8% | $490,587 | $73,854 | 5,888 | |
| 87 | Saginaw | 128.65 | 24,970 | 4.6% | $299,871 | $97,276 | 1,674 | |
| 88 | Midlothian | 129.15 | 39,356 | 3.9% | $450,602 | $126,641 | 1,192 | |
| 89 | Live Oak | 129.40 | 15,984 | 4.9% | $247,030 | $79,696 | 3,929 | |
| 90 | White Oak | 131.20 | 6,235 | 5.0% | $244,809 | $101,027 | 882 | |
| 91 | Nederland | 131.80 | 18,381 | 4.7% | $214,465 | $77,570 | 1,404 | |
| 92 | New Braunfels | 132.80 | 104,643 | 4.2% | $350,104 | $86,021 | 1,627 | |
| 93 | Sunnyvale | 133.00 | 8,336 | 7.0% | $631,290 | $170,348 | 1,356 | |
| 94 | Schertz | 133.00 | 44,050 | 6.2% | $314,686 | $99,948 | 1,031 | |
| 95 | Watauga | 137.85 | 23,233 | 5.1% | $277,103 | $91,171 | 947 | |
| 96 | Fort Stockton | 137.90 | 8,278 | 2.2% | $173,273 | $84,784 | 399 | |
| 97 | Georgetown | 138.10 | 85,999 | 4.9% | $426,799 | $95,062 | 1,416 | |
| 98 | Lavon | 138.30 | 6,498 | 3.6% | $349,797 | $131,303 | 2,585 | |
| 99 | Lucas | 139.20 | 8,351 | 2.6% | $1,074,131 | $221,364 | 4,052 | |
| 100 | Anna | 139.45 | 24,330 | 4.1% | $349,537 | $105,593 | 1,147 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 354 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Texas
If you’re looking at areas in Texas with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Texas are University Park, Trophy Club, Colleyville, West University Place, Alamo Heights, Coppell, Keller, Southlake, Corinth, and Flower Mound.
University Park made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Texas for 2026. Not sold on Texas? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places To Live In Texas FAQs
What is the best place to live in Texas?
University Park is the best place to live in Texas for 2026. It pairs a $250,001 median household income with a $2,420,171 median home value. Trophy Club and Colleyville round out the top three.
What are the 10 best places to live in Texas?
The ten best places to live in Texas are University Park, Trophy Club, Colleyville, West University Place, Alamo Heights, Coppell, Keller, Southlake, Corinth, and Flower Mound. We ranked all 354 places with more than 5,000 residents across nine criteria, from home values to commute times.
How expensive is it to live in the best parts of Texas?
The median home across the ten best places runs $716,116, versus $300,957 statewide. Quality shows up in the price tag; in University Park the typical home costs $2,420,171.
What is the worst place to live in Texas?
Wilmer lands at the bottom of this ranking, making it the worst place to live in Texas by the numbers. The full ordering of all 354 places is in the table above.
How do you rank the best places to live in Texas?
We score every Texas place with more than 5,000 residents on nine criteria covering jobs, housing, safety, and daily life, using Census American Community Survey and FBI crime data. The place with the best average rank, University Park, wins for 2026.
