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These Texas towns land on US News' best places to live in 2025
The best places to live aren't major cities, but just outside of them. See the full Lone Star State rankings.
Published September 22, 2025 at 10:00am by Alexis Simmerman
Pearland, Texas was named the third best place to live in the country by U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 report.
U.S. News & World Report has published a new 2025-2026 list of "Best Places to Live." The media company analyzed 250 major U.S. cities across key measures in the following categories: quality of life, value, desirability, job market and net migration.
20 best places to live in the US, 2025-2026
- Johns Creek, Georgia
- Carmel, Indiana
- Pearland, Texas
- Fishers, Indiana
- Cary, North Carolina
- League City, Texas
- Apex, North Carolina
- Leander, Texas
- Rochester Hills, Michigan
- Troy, Michigan
- Sammamish, Washington
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
- Ellicott City, Maryland
- Flower Mound, Texas
- Pflugerville, Texas
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Plymouth, Minnesota
- Ankeny, Iowa
- West Hartford, Connecticut
- McAllen, Texas
10 best places to live in Texas, 2025-2026
Here are the 10 Lone Star State places that ranked high on the list (rankings refer to national rankings):
No. 3: Pearland
- Population: 123,986
- Average commute: 31 minutes
- Median home value: $319,753
- Median monthly rent: $1,403
- Median household income: $115,504
No. 6: League City
- Population: 106,330
- Average commute: 28 minutes
- Median home value: $327,511
- Median monthly rent: $1,231
- Median household income: $120,670
No. 8: Leander
- Population: 77,556
- Average commute: 28 minutes
- Median home value: $493,774
- Median monthly rent: $1,485
- Median household income: $131,822
No. 14: Flower Mound
- Population: 77,122
- Average commute: 27 minutes
- Median home value: $476,609
- Median monthly rent: $1,642
- Median household income: $163,766
No. 15: Pflugerville
- Population: 66,278
- Average commute: 24 minutes
- Median home value: $441,873
- Median monthly rent: $1,505
- Median household income: $118,047
No. 16: Sugar Land
- Population: 118,143
- Average commute: 30 minutes
- Median home value: $402,094
- Median monthly rent: $1,556
- Median household income: $135,514
No. 20: McAllen
- Population: 144,628
- Average commute: 18 minutes
- Median home value: $169,631
- Median monthly rent: $783
- Median household income: $59,255
No. 23: Cedar Park
- Population: 77,959
- Average commute: 23 minutes
- Median home value: $503,708
- Median monthly rent: $1,482
- Median household income: $124,554
No. 27: Mansfield
- Population: 79,883
- Average commute: 28 minutes
- Median home value: $364,136
- Median monthly rent: $1,369
- Median household income: $117,680
No. 28: Round Rock
- Population: 128,111
- Average commute: 22 minutes
- Median home value: $463,739
- Median monthly rent: $1,427
- Median household income: $101,663
Best places to live in Texas, ranked
- Pearland
- League City
- Leander
- Flower Mound
- Pflugerville
- Sugar Land
- McAllen
- Cedar Park
- Mansfield
- Round Rock
- Frisco
- McKinney
- Laredo
- The Woodlands
- Katy
- Pharr
- Allen
- Edinburg
- North Richland Hills
- Midland
- Missouri City
- Mission
- Spring
- New Braunfels
- Carrollton
- Rowlett
- San Angelo
- Brownsville
- Temple
- Wylie
- Grand Prairie
- El Paso
- Victoria
- Conroe
- Harlingen
- Georgetown
- Abilene
- Amarillo
- Odessa
- Irving
- Plano
- Bryan
- Austin
- Lubbock
- Wichita Falls
- Richardson
- Eagle Pass
- Lewisville
- Corpus Christi
- Fort Worth
- Tyler
- Longview
- San Antonio
- Arlington
- Little Elm
- Garland
- College Station
- Killeen
- Sherman
- Pasadena
- Mesquite
- Waco
- Houston
- Texarkana
- Dallas
- Denton
- Baytown
- San Marcos
- Beaumont