DFW Cities Dominate New List of Best Places to Relocate in Texas

A recent statewide study identified Allen, Frisco, and Plano as the leading Texas cities for relocation, while larger metropolitan areas such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio ranked lower due to safety and affordability concerns.

The ConsumerAffairs report assesses 50 cities in Texas, focusing on affordability, safety, economic strength, health care, education, and overall quality of life. The outcomes strongly benefit suburban areas, especially those located in the Dallas–Fort Worth region.

Seven of the top 10 cities are in North Texas. Allen takes the top spot overall, bolstered by excellent ratings in safety and livability. Frisco and Plano are making headlines, with Frisco ranking fifth in the state for health care and education, while Plano ranks second for quality of life.

The DFW-area cities that continue to hold spots in the top 10 are McKinney at 4, Mansfield at 6, Round Rock at 9, and Richardson at 10.

Two cities in the Houston area have also secured spots in the state's top tier. Sugar Land, ranked seventh, boasts impressive health care and safety ratings. League City, located just north of Galveston, has achieved an impressive eighth place and boasts the highest score in the state for health care and education.

Leander, in Central Texas, ranks fifth, boasting the state's top safety score and the second-highest economic score. Subpar ratings in affordability and quality of life prevent it from achieving a higher ranking.

The findings reveal a striking difference between suburban areas and major urban hubs. Texas' major cities do not make it into the top 20. “The study highlights that many larger cities face challenges related to safety, affordability, and various other factors.”

El Paso leads among major cities at 25, with Austin closely behind at 26. Austin achieves a notable fourth place in economic performance but ranks among the lowest five in affordability and safety.

Fort Worth is positioned at 39, Dallas at 46, and San Antonio at 48, with each city facing ongoing challenges related to affordability and safety. Houston has been ranked at the bottom, coming in at number 50, with the lowest scores statewide for safety and below-average ratings across all categories, except for quality of life, where it stands at fifth place.

ConsumerAffairs assessed the cities using a weighted methodology, assigning 30 points each to affordability and safety, 20 to economic strength, and 10 to health care, education, and quality of life. Information was gathered from the United States. The Census Bureau, Zillow, NeighborhoodScout, the Texas Workforce Commission, and national walkability and greenspace databases are all key sources of information.

The complete rankings and the methodology can be found at ConsumerAffairs.