The U.S. News & Report recently published a list ranking the best places to live in the United States for 2025-2026. The No. 3 spot on the list – and No. 1 spot in Texas – went to this Houston suburb – and it’s probably not the one you’re thinking of.
Among 850 cities ranked across the country, the report ranked the south Houston suburb of Pearland as the best place to live in Texas and the third best to live in the country.
“The 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2025-2026” is a snippet of the publication’s larger ranking of its “250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2025-2026”. Analyzing thousands of data points – sourced from private and public sources including official government statistics – the report analyzed employment opportunities, school quality, housing affordability, commute times, weather and other points. From this data, the report attributed each city with a score between 0 – 10.
Pearland as the best place to live in Texas
Ranked as the third best place to live in the country, Pearland is a suburb just south of Houston scored a 7 out of 10. The report highlights the cost of living in Pearland, $319,753 compared to the national average of $370,489, as well as its above-average job market, high-rated hospitals, and quality of life.
“Pearland is another high-scoring Houston suburb known for balancing affordability with well-being, ranking in the top 5% for value and the top 10% for quality of life,” the report reads.
“This city is ripe with high-quality social services, from top-rated hospitals to its emphasis on public safety. Pearland is home to Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam, a Hindu temple that’s the only one of its kind outside of India.”
The top 25 best places to live in the U.S.
On the U.S. News & Report’s list, Texas dominated with 7 areas named among the best places to the live in the country including multiple Houston suburbs – Sugar Land at No. 16 and League City at No. 6.
Other Texas features on the list include the following: Cedar Park (No. 23), McAllen (No. 20), Pflugerville (No. 15), Flower Mound (No. 14), and Leander (No. 8). See the complete list below:
- Johns Creek, Georgia
- Carmel, Indiana
- Pearland, Texas
- Fishers, Indiana
- Cary, North Carolina
- League City, Texas
- Apex, North Carolina
- Leander, Texas
- Rochester Hills, Michigan
- Troy, Michigan
- Sammamish, Washington
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
- Ellicott City, Maryland
- Flower Mound, Texas
- Plugerville, Texas
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Plymouth, Minnesota
- Ankeny, Iowa
- West Hartford, Connecticut
- McAllen, Texas
- Bethesda, Maryland
- Edmond, Oklahoma
- Cedar Park, Texas
- Alpharetta, Georgia
- Hoover, Alabama