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Best Overall Cities in Texas

32 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in Texas

  1. #1
    B

    Denton

    Best Overall Cities score 78 · MoveScore 78

  2. #2
    B

    Plano

    Best Overall Cities score 77 · MoveScore 77

  3. #3
    B

    College Station

    Best Overall Cities score 76 · MoveScore 76

  4. #4
    B

    Houston

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  5. #5
    B

    Pasadena

    Best Overall Cities score 75 · MoveScore 75

  6. #6
    B

    Frisco

    Best Overall Cities score 74 · MoveScore 74

  7. #7
    B

    Austin

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  8. #8
    B

    Irving

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  9. #9
    B

    Killeen

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  10. #10
    B

    Lewisville

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  11. #11
    C

    San Antonio

    Best Overall Cities score 69 · MoveScore 69

  12. #12
    C

    Garland

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  13. #13
    C

    Arlington

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  14. #14
    C

    Brownsville

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  15. #15
    C

    Laredo

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  16. #16
    C

    Waco

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  17. #17
    C

    Beaumont

    Best Overall Cities score 67 · MoveScore 67

  18. #18
    C

    Victoria

    Best Overall Cities score 67 · MoveScore 67

  19. #19
    C

    Dallas

    Best Overall Cities score 65 · MoveScore 65

  20. #20
    C

    Pearland

    Best Overall Cities score 65 · MoveScore 65

  21. #21
    C

    Round Rock

    Best Overall Cities score 64 · MoveScore 64

  22. #22
    C

    Galveston

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  23. #23
    C

    Lubbock

    Best Overall Cities score 62 · MoveScore 62

  24. #24
    C

    McKinney

    Best Overall Cities score 62 · MoveScore 62

  25. #25
    C

    Fort Worth

    Best Overall Cities score 62 · MoveScore 62

  26. #26
    C

    Carrollton

    Best Overall Cities score 61 · MoveScore 61

  27. #27
    C

    Corpus Christi

    Best Overall Cities score 61 · MoveScore 61

  28. #28
    C

    Tyler

    Best Overall Cities score 61 · MoveScore 61

  29. #29
    C

    Amarillo

    Best Overall Cities score 60 · MoveScore 60

  30. #30
    D

    Abilene

    Best Overall Cities score 59 · MoveScore 59

  31. #31
    D

    El Paso

    Best Overall Cities score 52 · MoveScore 52

  32. #32
    F

    Midland

    Best Overall Cities score 45 · MoveScore 45

Other Texas Rankings

Best for Safety in Texas

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in Texas

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in Texas

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in Texas

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in Texas

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in Texas

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Texas ranks highest for best overall cities?

Denton, TX ranks #1 in Texas for best overall cities with a sub-score of 78/100 (MoveScore 78, grade B).

How many cities in Texas are compared?

32 Texas cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

Texas-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.