Houston’s Ranking on Best Places to Live Falls 12 Spots

Houston’s ranking on US News and World Report’s “2020-21 Best Places to Live in the United States” list has dropped 12 spots.

The list ranks the top 150 metropolitan areas across the US based on “affordability, job market, quality of life, desirability, and net migration ratings.”

US News explained this year’s rankings reflected not only the factors above but how COVID-19 hit these areas and how the cities fared against the virus.

Houston ranked No. 39 this year, as compared to last year’s No. 27.

Austin, Texas took first in the Texas cities on the list, coming in No. 5 as compared to its previous No. 3.

As Houstonians speculate why Houston dropped the ball this year, Kinder Rice Institute for Urban Research may have provided an answer. The research institute recently released data on the net move-out rate in Houston.

According to the data, move-outs in Houston increased 41 percent in 2020.

Whatever the reason for the drop in ranking, Houston still remains 3^rd on the list of best cities in Texas to live – praised for its award-winning dining options by Christine Hall, a local expert.

Boulder, Colorado was ranked No. 1 on US News and World Report’s list.