{"id":234862,"date":"2026-04-04T11:23:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T11:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/234862\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T11:23:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T11:23:07","slug":"the-15-best-us-cities-to-live-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/234862\/","title":{"rendered":"The 15 Best US Cities to Live in"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re moving to a different state<\/a> or, in some cases, a different country<\/a>, affordability is often a key reason for relocation.<\/p>\n

Smaller cities<\/a> and rural towns<\/a> have recently become hot spots for those looking to escape high prices and overcrowding, but some still yearn for the big city.<\/p>\n

US News & World Report evaluated 859 cities on its way to ranking the 250 best places to live<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

The publication considered five indexes \u2014 quality of life, value, desirability, job market, and net migration<\/a> \u2014 to determine where cities finished on the list.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Texas, the second-largest state in both size and population, dominated the list<\/a> with six entries in the top 15 and three \u2014 El Paso, Austin, and Fort Worth \u2014 in the top five. See what other big cities are considered the best to live in.<\/p>\n

20. San Francisco, CA<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

San Francisco.\u00a0<\/p>\n

frankpeters\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 828,732<\/p>\n

Median home value: $1,395,300<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $2,267<\/p>\n

Median household income: $149,576<\/p>\n

Known 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.<\/p>\n

19. Sacramento, CA<\/p>\n

\"Downtown<\/p>\n

Sacramento, California.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dee Liu\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 542,262<\/p>\n

Median home value: $521,370<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,604<\/p>\n

Median household income: $89,175<\/p>\n

Known for: The capital city of California was the birthplace of the first transcontinental railroad, when it broke ground in Sacramento in the 1860s.<\/p>\n

18. Atlanta, GA<\/p>\n

\"Atlanta<\/p>\n

Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n

adamkaz\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 534,657<\/p>\n

Median home value: $478,369<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,659<\/p>\n

Median household income: $88,243<\/p>\n

Known for: Atlanta’s reputation as a city highlighted by massive highways is overblown, as about 48% of the city is covered by trees.<\/p>\n

17. Portland, OR<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

Portland, Oregon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jacob Boomsma\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 646,721<\/p>\n

Median home value: $573,677<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,422<\/p>\n

Median household income: $93,114<\/p>\n

Known for: Portland, Oregon, has a strong arts culture, and is home to the world’s largest independent bookstore.<\/p>\n

16. Phoenix, AZ<\/p>\n

\"Phoenix,<\/p>\n

Phoenix.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kruck20\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,668,856<\/p>\n

Median home value: $452,370<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,554<\/p>\n

Median household income: $82,891<\/p>\n

Known for: Not far from another entry on the list \u2014 Mesa, Arizona \u2014 Phoenix is known as the Valley of the Sun, mainly due to its year-round sunshine.<\/p>\n

15. San Diego, CA<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

San Diego.\u00a0<\/p>\n

halbergman\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,407,749<\/p>\n

Median home value: $905,335<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $2,197<\/p>\n

Median household income: $111,559<\/p>\n

Known for:\u00a0San Diego is known for having one of the best zoos in the country, and it famously has some of the most desirable weather.<\/p>\n

14. Indianapolis, IN<\/p>\n

\"Indianapolis<\/p>\n

Indianapolis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sanghwan Kim\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 896,614<\/p>\n

Median home value: $242,973<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $992<\/p>\n

Median household income: $64,315<\/p>\n

Known for: Indianapolis is known for the largest single-day sporting event in the country: the Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n

13. Dallas, TX<\/p>\n

\"Regency<\/p>\n

Dallas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

joe daniel price\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,351,974<\/p>\n

Median home value: $354,950<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,404<\/p>\n

Median household income: $71,387<\/p>\n

Known for: The birthplace of the frozen margarita, Dallas is home to many outdoor attractions and a thriving food scene.<\/p>\n

12. Seattle, WA<\/p>\n

\"Seattle<\/p>\n

Seattle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

SCStock\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 792,583<\/p>\n

Median home value: $920,561<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,891<\/p>\n

Median household income: $129,054<\/p>\n

Known for: Known for its iconic coffee culture and skyline featuring the Space Needle, Seattle is the headquarters to companies like Amazon and Starbucks.<\/p>\n

11. Columbus, OH<\/p>\n

\"Columbus,<\/p>\n

Columbus, Ohio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sanghwan Kim\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 935,616<\/p>\n

Median home value: $280,117<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,090<\/p>\n

Median household income: $65,981<\/p>\n

Known for:\u00a0Columbus is the capital of Ohio and the most populous city in the Buckeye State. It’s also the home of the Ohio State University.<\/p>\n

10. Houston, TX<\/p>\n

\"Houston,<\/p>\n

Houston.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sean Pavone\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 2,513,078<\/p>\n

Median home value: $296,056<\/p>\n

Average monthly rent: $1,209<\/p>\n

Median household income: $66,084<\/p>\n

Known for: Houston is one of the closest big cities in Texas to the coasts, and is the energy capital of the world.<\/p>\n

9. Mesa, AZ<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

Mesa, Arizona.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dee Liu\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 537,369<\/p>\n

Median home value: $429,090<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,543<\/p>\n

Median household income: $83,087<\/p>\n

Known for:\u00a0Mesa, Arizona, is about 20 miles east of Phoenix, but it still has art centers, museums, and other cultural attractions of its own.<\/p>\n

8. Charlotte, NC<\/p>\n

\"Skyline<\/p>\n

Charlotte, North Carolina.\u00a0<\/p>\n

benedek\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 953,692<\/p>\n

Median home value: $434,208<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,498<\/p>\n

Median household income: $83,205<\/p>\n

Known for:\u00a0Located in the south-central part of North Carolina, Charlotte is\u00a0home to 19 Fortune 1000 companies, like Bank of America and Lowe’s.<\/p>\n

7. Jacksonville, FL<\/p>\n

\"Skyline<\/p>\n

Jacksonville, Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RudyBalasko\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,012,031<\/p>\n

Median home value: $313,627<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,351<\/p>\n

Median household income: $1,351<\/p>\n

Known for: Jacksonville, Florida, is less than 50 miles from Georgia. It boasts stunning beaches and has the largest urban park system in the nation.<\/p>\n

6. San Antonio, TX<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

San Antonio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thanasis\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,480,641<\/p>\n

Median home value: $255,757<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,152<\/p>\n

Median household income: $66,076<\/p>\n

Known for:\u00a0Most famously known for its River Walk, San Antonio also has historical and cultural significance with landmarks such as the Alamo.<\/p>\n

5. Nashville, TN<\/p>\n

\"Cityscape<\/p>\n

Nashville.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RudyBalasko\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 705,540<\/p>\n

Median home value: $437,629<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,477<\/p>\n

Median household income: $79,428<\/p>\n

Known for: Nashville has become the bachelorette party capital of the US, but is mostly known for its devotion to country music.<\/p>\n

4. Fort Worth, TX<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

Fort Worth, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Barbara Smyers\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,012,396<\/p>\n

Median home value: $321,586<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,360<\/p>\n

Median household income: $80,685<\/p>\n

Known for: Fort Worth, Texas, still has many ties to its cowboy heritage in its historic district, with rodeos, saloons, and cattle trades.<\/p>\n

3. Austin, TX<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

Austin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

halbergman\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 1,012,323<\/p>\n

Median home value: $581,104<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $1,612<\/p>\n

Median household income: $98,624<\/p>\n

Known 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.<\/p>\n

2. El Paso, TX<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

El Paso, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

DenisTangneyJr\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 667,435<\/p>\n

Median home value: $197,004<\/p>\n

Average monthly rent: $964<\/p>\n

Median household income: $59,999<\/p>\n

Known for: El Paso, Texas, has a deep Spanish culture, and has over 20,000 acres of mountain peaks and canyons for nature lovers.<\/p>\n

1. Oklahoma City, OK<\/p>\n

\"Oklahoma<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sean Pavone\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Population: 721,676<\/p>\n

Median home value: $251,522<\/p>\n

Median monthly rent: $935<\/p>\n

Median household income: $68,491<\/p>\n

Known for: The state capital of Oklahoma has a diverse arts and culture scene and is the most populous city in the state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Whether you’re moving to a different state or, in some cases, a different country, affordability is often a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":234863,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[138,140,139],"class_list":["post-234862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-el-paso","tag-el-paso","tag-el-paso-headlines","tag-el-paso-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}