San Antonio is showing off its fun-loving side in WalletHub's new ranking of the top 25 most fun cities in America in 2024.
The annual report ranked the Alamo City No. 25 for the second consecutive year.
WalletHub's experts compared 182 U.S. cities across 65 metrics to determine the level of "fun" for each city. The metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.
According to the study's findings, San Antonio performed best in the overall cost category, earning No. 13 out of all 182 cities, which demonstrates just how affordable the city is in comparison to the rest of the country. As a note, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.
San Antonio was 27th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 32 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities, family-friendly recreational activities, dining destinations, and more.
Potential San Antonians should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone.
"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.
Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.
Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are Dallas (No. 31), El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).
The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:
- No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
- No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
- No. 3 – Miami, Florida
- No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
- No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
- No. 6 – Austin, Texas
- No. 7 – San Francisco, California
- No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
- No. 9 – Houston, Texas
- No. 10 – New York City, New York
Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.
