10 Texas Cities That Are Among The Best To Live In America

So maybe we're biased, maybe we're not. We believe that Texas is the best place to live on the planet, and hey, we have good reason to believe that. I mean, for the most part, most people will tell you where they live is the best, but maybe they haven't lived anywhere else.

We need something to back up our claims of Texas being the best, not just our word. Well now, we have that backup for our claims, as Texas landed 10 cities inside the top 150 places to live in the United States.

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As I was going through this list, I was surprised to see some of the cities listed there. Admittedly, I haven't been to ALL these cities, so I can't speak on behalf of them personally. Some of the ones on the list didn't surprise me one bit.

According to this list, the best place to live in Texas is also not surprising in the least, and that one I can speak on that one from experience as I lived there personally for 7 1/2 years.

The ranking you see next to the city is where it landed on the list for the U.S., not for Texas.

#140: HOUSTON

Checking in with an overall score of 5.6 (out of 10), Houston attracts people with that entrepreneurial spirit about them, as well as those who want to work for some of the biggest corporations in the country.

Houston scored well in the value department when it came to cost of living, and that is one of the main attractions as it's one of the more affordable major cities you can live in. Foodies also love Houston as they boast over 10,000 restaurants in the city covering any cuisine you could want.

#137: MCALLEN

Welcome to the first entry on the list that surprised me. McAllen isn't exactly a city you hear a whole lot about, but scoring slightly better than Houston with a 5.7, maybe we should be talking a bit more about it.

Scoring very high on the value chart with a 7.4, McAllen attracts those who want to save some money on things such as housing and aren't fans of the cold weather. It's known as a destination for thousands of people as those colder temps start to set in as they tend to see milder temps in those winter months.

#134: BROWNSVILLE

Another one I don't think I expected to see on the list is Brownsville. This is a city I've never personally visited, but it appears there's good reason for it to land on the list. An overall score of 5.7, matches McAllen, and pretty much for the same reason.

The cost of living in Brownsville is MUCH lower than that compared to other cities in the U.S. as it scored a 7.7 in value. One of its main draws is the fact that is sits right there on the water. South Padre Island resides close by, and when you give me something like that with a low cost of living, I start thinking about moving.

#132: CORPUS CHRISTI

Another beachy entry to our list, it's easy to see why Corpus would pop up inside the top 150. With an overall score of 5.7, it has a nice balance of value and quality of life. It's funny how we think living in and around a beach would be expensive, yet seems to be cheaper than a lot of places.

Yes, a big reason why people move and live here is that you're more apt to be wearing flip-flops than boots, but the economy in Corpus is thriving, and any time that happens, good money is there to be made.

#131: BEAUMONT

Just missing cracking the top 5 cities in Texas is Beaumont. Coming in with an overall score of 5.7, its main attraction is affordability. They scored a stunning 8 out of 10 when it comes to the cost of living.

Beaumont is part of the Texas Golden Triangle, and that means business. A lot of people in Beaumont are there for that reason, but another draw to the city is you're only a couple of hours away from Houston or Lake Charles, LA. Nice to be in a spot where you can go somewhere fun and not have to make a weekend-long trip out of it.

#128: EL PASO

Kicking off the top 5 places to live in Texas is El Paso. An overall score of 5.8 is a balance between cost of living as well as quality of life, both of which scored over a 6.

El Paso is the 100th best place to retire, and the city is just big enough to FEEL big, without being a huge city. There are plenty of jobs to be found, and despite its proximity to Juarez, Mexico, it's a safer city to live in than you think.

#122: KILLEEN

Just missing an overall score of 6, Killeen enters the conversation with an overall score of 5.9. Value is a big thing in Killeen as it scored a 6.9 in that particular category, and was also over a 6 for quality of life.

You'll find a lot of families living in Killeen, and that's part of its attraction. The other thing Killeen is known for is its proximity to Austin (just over an hour south) and Dallas (just over 2 hours north). This gives residents easy access to major sporting events as well as big-time concerts among other things.

#113: DALLAS

I was wondering when we'd start getting to the other major cities. Dallas checks in as the 3rd best place to live in Texas with our first overall score of 6. The cost of living is a minor hindrance here, but you get a lot of that back in entertainment.

Dallas offers up big-time entertainment, but it also gives you that quiet suburban life you want when not enjoying the vibrant city. Young professionals love living in the heart of the city, while those with families tend to reside on the outskirts and surrounding areas. In other words, the two worlds don't collide unless you want them to.

#103: SAN ANTONIO

Riverwalk. Need I say more? San Antonio is the second best place to live in Texas, and it's not JUST because of the Riverwalk. With an overall score of 6.1, San Antonio is one of the more affordable major cities you can live in, scoring a 6.4.

San Antonio is much like Dallas in the sense that you can seek out the nightlife and major events, or you can find yourself in a quiet area that offers the amenities you need while keeping things a bit more low-key. Don't forget about the history of San Antonio with the Alamo there.

#40: AUSTIN

We've made it. The #1 place to live in Texas is Austin, and I feel like they nailed it right on the head. With an overall score of 6.4 (the #1 city in America scored 6.9), Austin is the ultimate destination for most people moving to Texas.

Tech-savvy, artsy, and with lakes and rivers all over the place, the moniker "Keep Austin Weird" is rather appropriate, as you have so many different walks of life living there. That's attributed to the fact that Austin offers something for everybody. There's also a great chance of running into a celebrity as many call Austin home.