The latest U.S. News & World Report rankings for 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. are out, and let's just say the Live Music Capital isn't exactly headlining the charts. While several of our Central Texas neighbors are basking in the top 30, Austin seems to have taken a leisurely stroll down to the 164th spot. Perhaps we're just playing hard to get?
The rankings, which crunch everything from housing affordability to desirability, are based on a mix of public data and user opinions. So, if you've been grumbling about traffic or the price of a decent single-family home, congratulations, your feedback has been heard.
Central Texas suburbs outshine Austin, claiming top 30 spots in national rankings
Our more suburban counterparts are clearly thriving. Leander, the little engine that could, roared into the 8th position, boasting a median household income that could make a downtown condo owner weep ($131,822, for those keeping score at home).
Close behind, Pflugerville clocked in at 15th, and Cedar Park at 23rd, proving that perhaps a shorter commute to H-E-B is the true secret to quality of life. Even Round Rock, with its formidable outlet mall and beloved baseball team, snagged a respectable 28th.
Here are the Central Texas cities that made the top 30 spots in the list:
El Paso, Georgetown beat Austin in top 200 rankings of best places to live
Even further down the list, we find New Braunfels (77th), Georgetown (113th), and then a significant drop-off for El Paso (107th).
Meanwhile, Austin, with its nearly one million residents and a median household income of $96,149, seems to have been weighed down by, well, probably everything that makes Austin, Austin.
Our "net migration" might be booming, but apparently, the public survey prioritized factors that our rapidly expanding metropolis is struggling to keep up with, like, you know, not being stuck in traffic for half your waking hours.
Here are some Texas cities in the top 200 spots:
Texas metros lag in rankings
Then comes Fort Worth (212th) and San Antonio (236th). It seems the larger the city, the more the metrics penalize.
So, while we continue to embrace our weirdness and cheer on our booming music scene, it seems the rest of the country (or at least the survey respondents) prefers a slightly less "Keep It Weird" approach to their living arrangements.
What are the best 10 cities to live in according to U.S. News?
For those curious about the truly top-tier locales, prepare for a geographical tour that mostly bypasses the Lone Star State (save for a couple of honorary mentions):