5 Texas cities rank in 100 best American cities for 2025 — and Austin isn't at the top

Austin was among the top American cities in 2025, but it wasn't the highest-scoring city in Texas.

For the second consecutive year, the Texas capital ranked No. 15 in the annual "America's Best Cities" report by Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing firm Resonance Consultancy. The analysis combined core statistics with user-generated data from online sources like Google, Tripadvisor and Instagram to rank cities with a population greater than 500,000.

Resonance Consultancy organized key measures into three categories: livability (including housing affordability, healthcare system index and green space); lovability (including culture, restaurants and attractions); and prosperity (including labor force participation, GDP per capita and poverty rate).

"The urban centers of America are the engines of our national economy and, increasingly, the global marketplace," the report says. "As powerhouses generating over 80% of U.S. GDP, these cities have long stood as testaments to American innovation, cultural diversity and economic resilience."

How did Texas cities stack up against each other and among the nation's other cities? Here's what the study found.

5 Texas cities among America's top 100

No. 13: Houston

"H-Town is a coveted hometown for the best and brightest on earth. And beyond," the 2025 report states, noting its rapid population and job growth, relatively low home prices, and cultural diversity.

• 3rd for large companies
• 4th for restaurants
• 24th in overall livability
• 12th in overall lovability
• 10th in overall prosperity

No. 14: Dallas

"The city's maverick, can-do spirit runs through increasing investment, population growth and cultural ascent in the Big D," the report says. It highlights Dallas' many ongoing projects and development, as well as its job growth.

• 4th for airport (tied with Miami)
• 6th for large companies
• 34th in overall livability
• 17th in overall lovability
• 5th in overall prosperity

No. 15: Austin

"The American dream has a new hometown. And the price of entry is actually dropping," the report says of the Texas capital. It emphasizes Austin's population and job growth as housing affordability increases, along with ongoing developments, while preserving parks and nature spaces.

• 4th for labor force participation
• 8th for nightlife
• 17th in overall livability
• 16th in overall lovability
• 11th in overall prosperity

No. 41: San Antonio

"San Antonio keeps proving that tactical urbanism can scale," the report says, recognizing the city's continued development and efforts for new attractions to keep drawing a steady stream of tourism.

• 7th for attractions
• 8th for restaurants
• 57th in overall livability
• 23rd in overall lovability
• 53rd in overall prosperity

No. 100: El Paso

The report describes the West Texas city as "a culinary border city" that "continues to put in the work, even in uncertainty." El Paso is dubbed "progressive and proudly Latino," investing in healthcare, infrastructure and parks and recreation areas despite facing economic and social uncertainty amid President Trump's trade tariffs.

• 4th for poverty rate
• 34th for restaurants
• 106th in overall livability
• 67th in overall lovability
• 93rd in overall prosperity

LIST: America's 15 best cities in 2025

1. New York, New York
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. San Francisco, California
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Miami, Florida
7. Boston, Massachusetts
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Las Vegas, Nevada
10. San Diego, California
11. Orlando, Florida
12. Atlanta, Georgia
13. Houston, Texas
14. Dallas, Texas
15. Austin, Texas