Best Places to Live in Texas for Families
Texas, often referred to as the Lone Star State, has always been appealing to families wanting to settle down. The state’s huge lands, rich history, wide diversity of cultural influences and bustling economy make it an attractive place to call home.
While this could be made even easier by the state’s large size and great number of cities, it can actually prove quite tricky to decide on the best places in Texas where a family might want to live. In this article, let’s take a tour through 14 of the best places to live in Texas for families, judging each on quality of education, safety and security, cost of living and the overall community ambiance.
For the best places to live in East Texas, check out this article.
14. Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls lies at the gateway to Texas’ rolling plains, offering a pleasant mix of small-town atmosphere and big city amenities. Its population is over 104,000, giving it some breathing room from the overwhelming hustle of large cities but still providing opportunities for growth.
The Wichita Falls Independent School District serves over 14,000 students with a student-teacher ratio above the national average making personal attention and growth possible for your child. The city also houses Midwestern State University, a popular educational institution that provides quality education and has a rich cultural environment.
For families, they can play at the River Bend Nature Center during the summer or relax at Castaway Cove Waterpark in the summer. Besides this, Wichita Falls boasts an affordable cost of living much below the national average; housing costs also dominate at a significant rate compared with most American cities. It becomes evident that Wichita Falls offers opportunities for economic advancement and garnering more income as well. If you typically vote conservative, you’ll love Wichita Falls!
13. Round Rock
Located in Central Texas, Round Rock is a city with an excellent educational system. The Round Rock Independent School District makes frequent appearances among the states with an amazing educational system and many advanced placement classes; it also has the highest graduation rate in the district.
The city is where Dell Technologies and Emerson Process Management are situated which are major employers that help enhance the local economy and lower the unemployment rate. Families can have an opportunity to enjoy the Rock’N River Water Park or attend minor league baseball games at Round Rock. Overall, the city of Round Rock in Texas offers its residents an enjoyable, low crime environment in which to raise their children.
12. Pearland
Located just south of Houston, Pearland is a suburban escape, delivering serenity away from the dashing Texas hub’s manic pace. It is famous for good educational provision and school system with Pearland Independent School District at the top in academic excellence.
The city has several parks and recreational areas like Pearland Nature Trail, which allows a breath of outdoor fresh air with ample chances for outdoor activities for families. The city is also culturally diverse, reflected in the dishes found throughout its culinary scene that is heavily influenced by Southern comfort food to authentic Vietnamese dishes. This diversity of cultures and backgrounds makes Pearland an enriching place to raise a family.
11. Richardson
Richardson is located in the northern part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area as a family-friendly city with urban facilities and advantages. Richardson Independent School District’s schools provide a quality education along with high test scores, an evident of its commitment to education. The University of Texas at Dallas, equally committed to education, is within the city limits known for strong programs in business, engineering, and computer science.
Outside academe, the city offers many recreational opportunities for those who are outdoor enthusiasts. The 900 acres of parkland and excellent trail networks available is perfect for those seeking an active lifestyle. Also, the quality of education is also something to boast about in this place. When it comes to the job market, the Telecom Corridor and other telecommunications and IT companies give the local economy a boost. This makes Richardson one of the best places to live in Texas for families.
10. New Braunfels
Halfway between Austin and San Antonio, New Braunfels has a rich history and community that revels in its German Texan heritage. Its districts for school, namely the New Braunfels Independent School District, and Comal Independent School District, emphasize academic excellence and at the same time provide many athletic and arts programs.
The city’s housing market is affordable for families. Beyond being a good choice because it has practicalities as a booming city, New Braunfels is an exciting place to live with family-friendly attractions such as the Schlitterbahn Water Park and the Natural Bridge Caverns. The city also hosts a repertory of community events including Wurstfest, the annual 10-day salute to sausage, further reinforcing its deep-rooted German heritage.
9. League City
League City’s residents enjoy waterfront living. It is situated on Clear Lake, in addition to Galveston Bay and lies at the heart of southern Houston. Hence, any family who loves boating, fishing, or water sports will find this place perfect.
Other draws include a low crime rate and an affordable cost of living, especially compared to other suburban communities in the Houston area. The community is tight-knit, often coming together for events like the annual Holiday in the Park parade and festival.
The city is primarily served by Clear Creek Independent School District which is known for having excellent ratings when it comes to quality of education. The safety of the place is evidenced by the low crime rate. You will find the community to be tight-knit, often coming together for events like the annual Holiday in the Park parade and festival.
8. Allen
Allen is a thriving city next to Dallas that provides balanced life for families living there. With the best school district, low crime rate, and multiple entertainment options available — from attending events at the Allen Event Center to hiking and biking the city’s extensive trail system — Allen offers something for every family.
Experian, Cisco Systems, and Frontier Communications which are major corporations are located here which gives its residents job opportunities and creates a robust economy. You’ll find a highly engaged community in Allen which is seen in frequently hosting events from art festivals to various charity runs.
7. Plano
Plano is found right in the middle of Collin County, and it excels at having one of the best school systems (despite its population size). In this city, scores are above average on state tests taken by students. It has repeatedly been ranked among the excellent cities to live in the USA, and is known for being a liberal city. Besides its academic credentials, Plano is also home to numerous large companies like Toyota Motor North America (TMO), Capital One, and Frito-Lay that provide ample job opportunities for its engineers and other professionals.
A plethora of recreational activities available such as numerous parks, nature preserves and annual events like the Plano Balloon Festival is ready to be enjoyed by every family. The city also provides a wide selection of housing choices. They can accommodate different family requirements and budgets including apartments and spacious homes suitable for large families. Plano is even a great place to live in Texas for young adults.
6. Frisco
Situated just a short drive north of Dallas is Frisco, a growing city the most families want to settle in. This city has something for everyone, from a school district which is known for its excellence to exciting sports events with the presence of renowned teams like the Dallas Cowboys.
The city is proud of its low unemployment rate because of the presence of many companies that have chosen to set up their headquarters here. Industries like retail and technology are most common here. The housing options in Frisco include single family-homes, townhouses and apartments.
The presence of different parks, hiking trails, and recreational facilities add to its allure as a fantastic place for families to live. Among these are The Star, a sprawling 91-acre campus that is proudly home to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys and a National Video Game Museum where game buffs can relive years of golden hits.
5. McKinney
This relatively young city is quickly rising in population and economic power just to the north of Dallas, Texas. McKinney combines the laid-back small town vibe with a large-city sophistication that makes it perfect for any family or individual seeking a smaller community but still find incredible education opportunities. For these reasons, McKinney is one of the best places to live in North Texas.
Its historic downtown, most refer to this area as McKinney’s heart, is an exciting cultural hub providing boutique shopping, fine and casual dining, along with arts in theater performances. The town has a strong commitment to green space preservation as evidenced by its vast array of parks, trails, and recreation areas such as Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary that welcome families. McKinney has a robust economy, low crime rate, and sense of community which make the family-oriented city a wonderful place to live.
4. Cedar Park
Located north of Austin, Cedar Park offers the advantages of city life while maintaining the serenity enjoyed by suburbanites. The excellent public school system and diverse array of community activities serving the nearby independent school district help families raise children here.
Families can enjoy exploring the Texas Museum of Science & Technology, or spending a day at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge; there are numerous opportunities to pass time and have fun together. Cedar Park has invested significantly in building its parks system and trail network as a way to promote a healthy lifestyle outside for every resident. Additionally, Cedar Park has a lower cost of living than the national average, making it an affordable option for families. For more information on Cedar Park, click here.
3. Sugar Land
Located southwest of Houston is Sugar Land, a flourishing city known as one of the best places to live in Texas for families. The city features two excellent schools and has a low crime rate coupled with family-friendly amenities such as the Sugar Land Town Square, Constellation Field, and Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land for shopping, restaurants, museums, cinemas
The presence of the Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery and Smart Financial Center demonstrates the city’s dedication to arts and culture. Furthermore, Sugar Land has a variety of housing choices, ranging from suburban single-family homes to urban lofts, catering to diverse family needs. Sugar land is also a great place to live for when you become an empty nester.
2. The Woodlands
The Woodlands is a master-planned community designed with an emphasis on careful planning of a mix of urban amenities and natural beauty. The schools offered in the community have not disappointed, receiving high ratings and a great education system.
The city has ample green spaces, over 200 miles of biking and walking trails, and multiple recreational areas. The city is not a dull place to live because it presents full-time attractions: scenic landscapes, museums, art galleries, concerts at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, dance and art festivals and seasonal celebrations. Not only do they have a big trail system, but people here are very linked by the community spirit. The fact that Woodlands is an urban-centric place makes it ideal for families.
1. Coppell
At the top of our list is Coppell, a small city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Coppell has all the attributes of a large city – incredible public transit, awesome music and arts association, community minded residents, but on its small size manages to provide great diversity. Coppell Independent School District commits itself entirely in academic excellence and innovation.
The city boasts several parks and recreational venues. The most notable is the Coppell Nature Park situated in the city centre of Coppell. This park was built for outdoor relaxation, recreation, nature exploration and education. Indeed, the City hosts a number of community events to promote resident involvement in city life.
The combination of commitment through education, safety initiatives, community outreach, and not too far from Dallas/Fort Worth/DFW International Airport make Coppell our number one pick out of the best places to live in Texas for families.
If you’re looking for the best places to live in Texas for white families, this post will help you.
