Die Beste Stadt

San Antonio suburb surges among best places to live in United States

New Braunfels has been listed among "the 100 Best Places to Live in 2025."

City of New Braunfels/Instagram

One San Antonio-area city has been listed among "the 100 Best Places to Live in 2025" in the United States. The list — from relocation marketing platform Livability.com — put New Braunfels at No. 18 for its close-knit community and access to nature.

The list was restricted to small and mid-size cities with populations between 75,000-500,000 residents. And it also considered only cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less.

They considered factors such as average rent and home prices relative to income to keep their list centered around affordability.

While New Braunfels did come in at No. 18, the site specifies that the list is not a numbered ranking but one where users are encouraged to create their own ranking based on personal priorities.

Nonetheless, New Braunfels earned a top score compared to all the cities on the report, with a LivScore totaling 758 out of 1,000 possible points.

New Braunfels is 31 miles northeast of San Antonio, with a population of just under 102,000 residents and a median household income of $125,381. According to the report's findings, these middle-class residents have median home values of $329,097.

Across the eight main categories, the suburb ranked the highest for its housing and cost of living (83), environment (82), and transportation (69). The report said New Braunfels has a "dynamic and rapidly growing economy," bolstered by tourism and its proximity to the San Antonio and Austin metros.

Schlitterbahn water park New Braunfels tubing 2015 The report praised New Braunfels' wealth of outdoor activities. Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Facebook

Livability's profile of New Braunfels praises its Hill Country location, small-town charm, a wealth of entertainment options, and more.

"People who live here appreciate the natural beauty in a number of ways, from strolling among the oak trees at the 51-acre Landa Park to enjoying floats along the river and slipping away to Canyon Lake, which beckons with its 80 miles of shoreline and is known as 'the jewel of Texas Hill Country,'" the report read.

Seven other Texas cities were also included in the list of best places to live in the U.S.: Flower Mound (875 points), Sugar Land (854 points), Round Rock (793 points), Midland (712 points), College Station (711 points), Tyler (676 points), and Abilene (659 points).

The top 10 cities that earned the most points on Livability's list are:

Flower Mound, Texas
Carmel, Indiana
Sugar Land, Texas
Naperville, Illinois
Roswell, Georgia
Overland Park, Kansas
Troy, Michigan
Columbia, Maryland
Olathe, Kansas
Round Rock, Texas

affordability affordable best places economy hill county small towns suburbs new braunfels

ON THE MOVE

San Antonio slips to No. 3 among top moving destinations in the nation

Father and son lifting moving boxes at new home

Getty Images

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Drawn by its vibrant culture and growing job market, nationwide movers have increasingly chosen San Antonio as their new home. Based on national relocation trends, a new s tudy by leasing company Penske Truck Rental ranks San Antonio No. 3 among the top 10 moving destinations in the United States for 2024.

Three Texas cities ranked among the top five moving destinations, with Houston taking the No. 1 spot, followed by San Antonio at No. 3 and Dallas at No. 4. Austin also made the list, landing at No. 9. San Antonio has been in the top five for two straight years, slipping slightly from its No. 2 position last year.

According to the study, the primary reasons for relocation in 2024 include better job opportunities and a lower cost of living. Movers were also driven by more personal reasons for relocation, such as enjoying a closer proximity to loved ones and more space.

With thriving job opportunities, no state income tax, and a lower cost of living, San Antonio offers appealing advantages for relocation, giving residents plenty of reason to take pride in calling the city home. Unsurprisingly, two Florida cities also made the top 10, as the state shares the same tax benefit.

Recently, San Antonio was left off British gambling platform Betway.com's list of the 15 coolest cities in America — a ranking based on the number of tattoo shops, record stores, and vegan restaurants. While those factors may contribute to the quality of living, Penske's data suggests economic considerations hold far more sway than kale smoothies.

Penske compiled the data by analyzing one-way truck rental reservations made through the company website, following up with a customer survey. The report said 69 percent of its customers preferred renting and driving their own vehicle, but didn't state whether that decision was motivated by cost.

Houston has remained at the top of the list for four consecutive years. The rest of the top destination places were spread throughout the country. This is the complete list:

No. 1 — Houston, Texas
No. 2 — Atlanta, Georgia
No. 3 — San Antonio, Texas
No. 4 — Dallas, Texas
No. 5 — Orlando, Florida
No. 6 — Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 7 — Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 8 — Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 — Austin, Texas
No. 10 — Tampa, Florida

population growth trends texas job market economy growth rankings penske moving