Best Places in Texas
City | Population | Median income | Median home value | Job market | Education |
Houston | 2.33 million | $51,000 | $179,000 | Construction, healthcare, retail | University of Houston |
Dallas | 1.35 million | $52,000 | $210,000 | Construction, healthcare, retail | Richland College |
Fort Worth | 899,000 | 58,400 | $189,000 | Retail, healthcare, manufacturing | Tarrant County College District |
Austin | 964,000 | $71,500 | $365,500 | Professional, scientific and tech services | University of Texas at Austin |
San Antonio | 1.53 million | $49,000 | $155,600 | Healthcare, retail, hospitality | University of Texas at San Antonio |
Galveston | 50,000 | $45,000 | $170,000 | Healthcare, hospitality, education | University of Texas Medical Branch |
Corpus Christi | 327,000 | $57,000 | $146,000 | Construction, healthcare, retail | Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi |
Many of the cities in the Lone Star State have plenty to offer in terms of jobs, education and quality of life. Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio are fast-growing metropolitan areas that attract thousands of newcomers annually.
Houston is home to the NASA astronaut training center and the Space Center Houston. As the Texas city with the largest population, Houston has a lot to offer, including professional sports teams, night life, culture, higher education and outdoor recreation opportunities. It is located on the Gulf Coast near Galveston.
The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex combines two cities and extends over 11 counties in the northeastern region of Texas. The economy of the area depends mainly upon banking, commerce, telecommunications and technology. It is the home base of two dozen firms in the Fortune 500. It also boasts the greatest number of colleges and universities in the state.
Austin, best known as the state capital, is a vibrant, quickly growing urban area. Centrally located in the state, Austin borders the Colorado River and contains such recreational areas as Lady Bird Lake, Lake Travis and McKinney Falls. Austin is an important part of the national live music scene, and the city hosts such annual festivals as South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits live music events.
San Antonio was founded as a colonial outpost and Spanish mission in the early 18th century. Several U.S. armed forces have bases in the area, and the military is one of the top supporters of the city’s economy. The Alamo Mission in the downtown area is the state’s biggest tourist attraction, drawing crowds of visitors year after year. Located about 75 miles to the south of Austin, San Antonio enjoys a similar semi-humid subtropical climate.