Money Magazine recently published the Best 10 Small Cities to Live in 2010.
McKinney, a city north of Dallas, was ranked as the 5th Best in the U.S. for 2010. Of the Top 100 small cities, 4 Texas cities represented the state as the best to live.
- McKinney – 4th
- Allen – 16th
- Missouri City – 21st
- Rowlett – 24th
How Houston compares (financial, housing, education, quality of life, culture, weather, neighborhood) to these 10 young cities around the nation…
Houston stats
| City stats | Best places avg. | |
|---|---|---|
| Median family income (per year) |
$51,734 | $90,957 |
| Job growth % (2000-2009)* |
12.72% | 15.71% |
| Median home price | $156,250 | $239,391 |
| Test scores reading (% above/below state average) |
-1.4% | 22.9% |
| Test scores math (% above/below average) |
-0.6% | 22.9% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 11 | 2 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 49 | 24 |
| Restaurants (within 15 miles) |
9,176 | 2,967 |
| High temp in July ° F | 93.6° | 86.2° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 41.7° | 21.3° |
| Median age | 32.5 | 35.3 |
| Financial | City stats | Best places avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Median family income (per year) |
$51,734 | $90,957 |
| Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) |
$57,707 | $86,860 |
| State sales tax | 6.25% | 5.45% |
| State income tax rate (highest bracket) |
N.A. | 7.35% |
| State income tax rate (lowest bracket) |
N.A. | 2.96% |
| Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state) |
$1,763 | $1,707 |
| Job growth % (2000-2009)* |
12.72% | 15.71% |
| Housing | ||
| Median home price | $156,250 | $239,391 |
| Average property taxes (2009) |
$4,358 | $3,418 |
| Education | ||
| Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) |
13 | 25 |
| Test scores reading (% above/below state average) |
-1.4% | 22.9% |
| Test scores math (% above/below average) |
-0.6% | 22.9% |
| % students attending public/private schools (located within town limits) |
90.1/9.9 | 87.8/12.2 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) |
N.A. | 77.8% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | 11 | 2 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | 49 | 24 |
| Median commute time (in minutes) | 23.4 | 21.4 |
| % population with commute 45 mins. or longer |
15.9% | 13.6% |
| % population walk or bike to work | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| Leisure and culture | ||
| Movie theaters (within 15 miles) |
70 | 31 |
| Restaurants (within 15 miles) |
9,176 | 2,967 |
| Bars (within 15 miles) |
925 | 207 |
| Public golf courses (within 30 miles) |
199 | 162 |
| Libraries (within 15 miles) |
117 | 72 |
| Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) |
5 | 10 |
| Ski resorts (within 100 miles) | N.A. | 12 |
| Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) | 0.4 | 1.5 |
| Weather | ||
| Annual rainfall (inches) |
47.70 | 37.40 |
| % clear days in the area | 25 | 29 |
| High temp in July ° F | 93.6° | 86.2° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | 41.7° | 21.3° |
| Meet the neighbors | ||
| Median age | 32.5 | 35.3 |
| Completed at least some college (% of residents) |
49.5% | 71.5% |
| Married % | 44.2% | 56.6% |
| Divorced % | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) |
336.3 | 94.9 |
For a comparative study of the 60+ Texas cities included in the article vs. America’s Top 10, click here.
