Texas dominated this new list of the 15 best US cities to live in

El Paso, Texas. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images 2026-04-04T11:09:01.254Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. US News & World Report ranked the best big cities to live in. Texas dominated the list, with El Paso, Austin, and Fort Worth in the top five. Large cities offer more job opportunities than small ones, but usually have a higher cost of living. AI-generated summary Summaries are generated by an AI model trained on Business Insider's articles. AI may make mistakes or provide inaccurate/incomplete information. We're unable to load that answer right now. Please try again. What factors influence city rankings? How do job markets vary in big cities? How does cost of living impact relocation? Why is Texas popular for big city living? What attracts people to smaller cities? Whether you're moving to a different state or, in some cases, a different country, affordability is often a key reason for relocation.Smaller cities and rural towns have recently become hot spots for those looking to escape high prices and overcrowding, but some still yearn for the big city. US News & World Report evaluated 859 cities on its way to ranking the 250 best places to live, and broke out a list highlighting the best big cities to live in. US News & World Report defined big cities as those with a population of 500,000 or more.The publication considered five indexes — quality of life, value, desirability, job market, and net migration — to determine where cities finished on the list.Cities like Johns Creek, Georgia, and Carmel, Indiana, finished as the top two best cities to live in overall, but have a combined population under 200,000. The big cities have the advantage of shorter commute times and a wider range of cultural attractions. Bigger cities sometimes mean bigger paychecks, but Johns Creek, Georgia, and Carmel, Indiana, both have higher median household incomes than every big city on the list, according to US News & World Report.Texas, the second-largest state in both size and population, dominated the list with six entries in the top 15 and three — El Paso, Austin, and Fort Worth — in the top five. See what other big cities are considered the best to live in. 20. San Francisco, CA San Francisco. frankpeters/Getty Images Population: 828,732Median home value: $1,395,300Median monthly rent: $2,267Median household income: $149,576Known for: San Francisco is most notable for being a hub of the tech scene, plus its iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and historic cable cars. 19. Sacramento, CA Sacramento, California. Dee Liu/Getty Images Population: 542,262Median home value: $521,370Median monthly rent: $1,604Median household income: $89,175Known for: The capital city of California was the birthplace of the first transcontinental railroad, when it broke ground in Sacramento in the 1860s. 18. Atlanta, GA Atlanta. adamkaz/Getty Images Population: 534,657Median home value: $478,369Median monthly rent: $1,659Median household income: $88,243Known for: Atlanta's reputation as a city highlighted by massive highways is overblown, as about 48% of the city is covered by trees. 17. Portland, OR Portland, Oregon. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Population: 646,721Median home value: $573,677Median monthly rent: $1,422Median household income: $93,114Known for: Portland, Oregon, has a strong arts culture, and is home to the world's largest independent bookstore. 16. Phoenix, AZ Phoenix. Kruck20/Getty Images Population: 1,668,856Median home value: $452,370Median monthly rent: $1,554Median household income: $82,891Known for: Not far from another entry on the list — Mesa, Arizona — Phoenix is known as the Valley of the Sun, mainly due to its year-round sunshine. 15. San Diego, CA San Diego. halbergman/Getty Images Population: 1,407,749Median home value: $905,335Median monthly rent: $2,197Median household income: $111,559Known for: San Diego is known for having one of the best zoos in the country, and it famously has some of the most desirable weather. 14. Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images Population: 896,614Median home value: $242,973Median monthly rent: $992Median household income: $64,315Known for: Indianapolis is known for the largest single-day sporting event in the country: the Indianapolis 500. 13. Dallas, TX Dallas. joe daniel price/Getty Images Population: 1,351,974Median home value: $354,950Median monthly rent: $1,404Median household income: $71,387Known for: The birthplace of the frozen margarita, Dallas is home to many outdoor attractions and a thriving food scene. 12. Seattle, WA Seattle. SCStock/Getty Images Population: 792,583Median home value: $920,561Median monthly rent: $1,891Median household income: $129,054Known for: Known for its iconic coffee culture and skyline featuring the Space Needle, Seattle is the headquarters to companies like Amazon and Starbucks. 11. Columbus, OH Columbus, Ohio. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images Population: 935,616Median home value: $280,117Median monthly rent: $1,090Median household income: $65,981Known for: Columbus is the capital of Ohio and the most populous city in the Buckeye State. It's also the home of the Ohio State University. 10. Houston, TX Houston. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Population: 2,513,078Median home value: $296,056Average monthly rent: $1,209Median household income: $66,084Known for: Houston is one of the closest big cities in Texas to the coasts, and is the energy capital of the world. 9. Mesa, AZ Mesa, Arizona. Dee Liu/Getty Images Population: 537,369Median home value: $429,090Median monthly rent: $1,543Median household income: $83,087Known for: Mesa, Arizona, is about 20 miles east of Phoenix, but it still has art centers, museums, and other cultural attractions of its own. 8. Charlotte, NC Charlotte, North Carolina. benedek/Getty Images Population: 953,692Median home value: $434,208Median monthly rent: $1,498Median household income: $83,205Known for: Located in the south-central part of North Carolina, Charlotte is home to 19 Fortune 1000 companies, like Bank of America and Lowe's. 7. Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville, Florida. RudyBalasko/Getty Images Population: 1,012,031Median home value: $313,627Median monthly rent: $1,351Median household income: $1,351Known for: Jacksonville, Florida, is less than 50 miles from Georgia. It boasts stunning beaches and has the largest urban park system in the nation. 6. San Antonio, TX San Antonio. Thanasis/Getty Images Population: 1,480,641Median home value: $255,757Median monthly rent: $1,152Median household income: $66,076Known for: Most famously known for its River Walk, San Antonio also has historical and cultural significance with landmarks such as the Alamo. 5. Nashville, TN Nashville. RudyBalasko/Getty Images Population: 705,540Median home value: $437,629Median monthly rent: $1,477Median household income: $79,428Known for: Nashville has become the bachelorette party capital of the US, but is mostly known for its devotion to country music. 4. Fort Worth, TX Fort Worth, Texas. Barbara Smyers/Getty Images Population: 1,012,396Median home value: $321,586Median monthly rent: $1,360Median household income: $80,685Known for: Fort Worth, Texas, still has many ties to its cowboy heritage in its historic district, with rodeos, saloons, and cattle trades. 3. Austin, TX Austin. halbergman/Getty Images Population: 1,012,323Median home value: $581,104Median monthly rent: $1,612Median household income: $98,624Known for: In recent years, Austin has become a landing spot for tech companies, but it is also regarded as the live music capital of the world. 2. El Paso, TX El Paso, Texas. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Population: 667,435Median home value: $197,004Average monthly rent: $964Median household income: $59,999Known for: El Paso, Texas, has a deep Spanish culture, and has over 20,000 acres of mountain peaks and canyons for nature lovers. 1. Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Population: 721,676Median home value: $251,522Median monthly rent: $935Median household income: $68,491Known for: The state capital of Oklahoma has a diverse arts and culture scene and is the most populous city in the state.