WalletHub published the report on September 29, comparing 1,318 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The analysis examined 45 measures across five categories: affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life, and safety. The 99th percentile represents the top 1% of communities surveyed.
Canyon Lake was among three San Antonio-area communities to rank above the midpoint. New Braunfels placed highest at the 78th percentile, followed by Canyon Lake at the 62nd percentile and Cibolo at the 61st percentile.
The regional rankings shifted from 2025, when New Braunfels landed in the 83rd percentile and Cibolo ranked in the 56th percentile. Canyon Lake made the biggest year-over-year jump among the three communities, rising 16 percentile points.
No Texas city reached the 99th percentile in this year’s study. Lexington, Massachusetts, claimed the top spot nationally, followed by Brookfield, Wisconsin, and Carmel, Indiana. Cedar Park and Allen were the highest-ranked Texas cities, both landing in the 96th percentile, while Leander reached the 93rd percentile.