AUSTIN (KXAN) — While it took a little hit in the national rankings, Austin is still the best place to live in Texas, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Austin still held on to the top spot in the Lone Star State, ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth, but tumbled two spots from No. 3 to No. 5 in the publication’s latest Best Places To Live national rankings. U.S. News said Austin’s rising housing costs contributed to the drop.
“Housing affordability is always of great concern, but as people solidify their plans to work remotely, struggle to find a house in a hot housing market or consider a cross-country move, a low cost of living is even more important,” said Devon Thorsby, real estate editor for U.S. News.
Median home sales prices in Austin hit an all-time in May at $465,000, and the Austin Board of Realtors said the Austin market has become one of the most competitive markets in the nation in its May report.
Colorado Springs, Colo., and Denver were also victims of housing costs and fell in the rankings.
Austin received its highest mark in net migration, which measures if people are moving to or away from a city. Austin’s score of 8.5 out of 10 means, according to US Census data, more people are moving to Austin than a lot of other cities around the country. However, it’s the smallest part of U.S. News and World Report’s scoring formula.
Austin scored a 7.8 in desirability, 7.5 in job market, 7 in quality of life, and took its worst score in value — the metric that includes housing affordability — at 6.5. Overall, Austin’s score came in at 7.3 to stay in the top five.
The publication explains its methodology and ranking system on its website.
Top 10 places to live in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report
- 1. Boulder, Colo., 7.6 out of 10
- 2. Raleigh & Durham, N.C., 7.5
- 3. Huntsville, Ala., 7.4
- 4. Fayetteville, Ark., 7.3
- 5. Austin, 7.3
- 6. Colorado Springs, Colo., 7.3
- 7. Naples, Fla., 7.2
- 8. Portland, Maine, 7.2
- 9. Sarasota, Fla., 7.2
- 10. Portland, Ore., 7.2
In the Texas rankings, Austin’s score topped Dallas-Fort Worth’s score of 6.9. Houston came in third with a score of 6.8, San Antonio was fourth with 6.6 and Killeen rounded out the top five with a 6.2.
Top 10 places to live in Texas, according to U.S. News and World Report
- Austin, 7.3 out of 10
- Dallas-Fort Worth, 6.9
- Houston, 6.8
- San Antonio, 6.6
- Killeen, 6.2
- Beaumont, 6.1
- Corpus Christi, 6
- El Paso. 5.9
- McAllen, 5.7
- Brownsville, 5.6
In May, the website Niche.com released its list of best places to live that slotted Austin as the No. 5 best place to live in Texas and No. 26 nationally.
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