Big cities often come with big trade-offs, but not always. While some major metros struggle with high costs, long commutes or high crime rates, others manage to offer the perks of urban life without the downsides.
When evaluating this year’s 250 Best Places to Live list, U.S. News analyzed 859 cities across the country, using data related to affordability, quality of life, job market strength and overall desirability. Rankings factored in everything from crime rates and commute times to health care access, education quality, net migration and cost of living.
From that full list, these 15 big cities, each with a population of 499,000 or more, rose to the top. Here’s a closer look at what helped each one earn a top spot.
— 15. San Diego, California
— 14. Indianapolis, Indiana
— 13. Dallas, Texas
— 12. Seattle, Washington
— 11. Columbus, Ohio
— 10. Houston, Texas
— 9. Mesa, Arizona
— 8. Charlotte, North Carolina
— 7. Jacksonville, Florida
— 6. San Antonio, Texas
— 5. Nashville, Tennessee
— 4. Fort Worth, Texas
— 3. Austin, Texas
— 2. El Paso, Texas
— 1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
[See: The Fastest-Growing Places in the U.S. in 2025-2026]
15. San Diego, California
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 466 Population: 1,396,734 Average Commute: 21 minutes Median Home Price: $885,517 Median Monthly Rent: $1,943 Median Household Income: $107,533
Known for its year-round sunshine and 50 miles of coastline, San Diego remains a top tourist destination despite its high cost of living, often referred to as the “sunshine tax.” Home prices are more than double the national average. Still, the city ranks in the top 10% for desirability, boosted by its No. 25 placement for weather. It also outperformed 85% of cities in quality of life, with strong marks for health care. UC San Diego Health landed on the U.S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll and ranked first in California, helping drive the city’s No. 36 spot for health care.
14. Indianapolis, Indiana
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 443 Population: 886,156 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $222,268 Median Monthly Rent: $856 Median Household Income: $61,452
Indianapolis, home of the iconic Indy 500 and known as the Crossroads of America for its central location and network of intersecting highways, serves as a major hub connecting Hoosiers to the rest of the country. Beyond its motorsports legacy, housing costs in Indianapolis are almost $150,000 cheaper than the national average, helping this city rank in the top 20% of all cities for affordability. The general cost of living is also more affordable, as Indianapolis offers lower expenses on everything from groceries to transportation.
13. Dallas, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 439 Population: 1,329,426 Average Commute: 23 minutes Median Home Price: $337,445 Median Monthly Rent: $1,257 Median Household Income: $68,895
Located in North Central Texas, Dallas is a commercial and cultural hub and home to 24 Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T, Southwest Airlines and Texas Instruments, among others. Dallasites enjoy all the excitement found in big cities mixed with the small-town feel of the surrounding suburbs. Dallas isn’t the most affordable, but housing costs are over $33,000 lower than the national average. The city also provides a high quality of life, ranking No. 20 overall, placing in the top 3% in health and the 76th percentile for college readiness.
12. Seattle, Washington
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 425 Population: 770,828 Average Commute: 24 minutes Median Home Price: $923,623 Median Monthly Rent: $1,800 Median Household Income: $126,700
Seattle sits on a narrow stretch of land between the salty Puget Sound and the fresh waters of Lake Washington. While it has a reputation for constant drizzle, it actually gets less annual rainfall than New York City, Boston and Houston. Affordability isn’t its strong suit, but Seattle still ranked No. 46 for quality of life, landing it in the top 5% of all cities, driven by strong health care, steady in-migration and job opportunities. With a deep talent pool and a long-standing reputation as a tech hub, it continues to attract workers in search of both career growth and natural beauty.
11. Columbus, Ohio
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 396 Population: 914,262 Average Commute: 20 minutes Median Home Price: $255,115 Median Monthly Rent: $999 Median Household Income: $64,205
In Columbus, the capital city of the Buckeye State, college football is more than a pastime–it’s a major part of the city’s identity. Home to The Ohio State University and its passionate fan base, Columbus combines sports culture with a growing economy, an affordable cost of living and a higher quality of life. In the overall Best Places rankings, Columbus is within the top 30% of all cities for quality of life, boosted by its low environmental risk with a low chance of adverse weather events. Affordability is another factor that pushed Columbus up in the rankings. Housing costs in Columbus are more than $115,000 cheaper than the national average.
10. Houston, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 381 Population: 2,417,482 Average Commute: 25 minutes Median Home Price: $276,828 Median Monthly Rent: $1,106 Median Household Income: $63,944
Greater Houston is one of the most diverse metro areas in the U.S. and has long attracted entrepreneurs and those who want to work in some of the nation’s largest industries, including oil and gas, manufacturing and health care. Houston performed well in the quality of life category, placing No. 15 overall for its health care and college readiness rankings. Another highly ranked category is net migration. Houston is also the fourth most populous city in the country, welcoming over 43,000 new residents between July 2023 and July 2024. While the city didn’t stand out for its affordability, Houston offers better value than similarly sized cities when comparing housing costs to the national average.
9. Mesa, Arizona
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 366 Population: 530,240 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $427,074 Median Monthly Rent: $1,389 Median Household Income: $80,935
Just east of Phoenix, Mesa, Spanish for “table,” sits atop a flat-topped plateau overlooking a valley. Mesa is surrounded by outdoor recreation, from the Superstition Mountains and Sonoran Desert to an abundance of trails, camping, golf, hot-air ballooning and lakes for fishing and boating. Median home prices in Mesa are more than $50,000 more than the national average, but that hasn’t stopped people from moving there. Mesa ranked within the top 20% of all cities for net migration, and the city’s job market is healthier than similarly sized areas.
8. Charlotte, North Carolina
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 313 Population: 920,072 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $397,862 Median Monthly Rent: $1,339 Median Household Income: $80,763
As the largest city in North Carolina, the Queen City consistently ranks as one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Nestled in the Piedmont region, Charlotte lies between both the Appalachian Mountains and the state’s famous white-sand beaches. Charlotte ranked within the top 20% for net migration and the top 15% for its quality of life, where the city stood out for air quality and health care access. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical CenterNovant Health Presbyterian Medical Center and Atrium Health-Cabarrus are all top-ranking hospitals in Charlotte and recognized as high-performing hospitals by U.S. News.
7. Jacksonville, Florida
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 278 Population: 990,505 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $302,616 Median Monthly Rent: $1,241 Median Household Income: $68,013
Located near the northeast Florida coastline, Jacksonville is the largest city by total area in the continental U.S. with a population of nearly 1 million. Jax’s economy largely relies on the river, which ships out 18 million tons of goods per year. Jacksonville’s quality of life stands out, scoring higher than 90% of other cities evaluated. Within this category, Jacksonville’s health care options landed it in the top 10%, followed by air quality, also in the top 10%, and college readiness. The city’s median household income is lower than the national average; however, housing costs are more affordable.
6. San Antonio, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 236Population: 1,467,811 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $241,733 Median Monthly Rent: $1,058 Median Household Income: $64,957
San Antonio, home of the Alamo, is another place that blends big-city amenities with its rich culture and deep Texas heritage. Today, the city is a popular tourist destination that offers a variety of attractions, including La Villita Historic Village, the Buckhorn Saloon, the San Antonio Botanical Garden, and almost every type of cuisine, from food trucks to Tex-Mex to barbecue. San Antonio ranks highly for its quality of life, thanks to its air quality, college readiness and health care access. Residents also enjoy a more affordable cost of living, and housing is nearly $130,000 cheaper than the national average.
5. Nashville, Tennessee
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 228 Population: 690,085 Average Commute: 22 minutes Median Home Price: $435,628 Median Monthly Rent: $1,316 Median Household Income: $77,371
Nashville is a mecca for country music fans. But its cultural appeal goes far beyond the stage. The city’s economy is bolstered by a diverse mix of industries, including health care, advanced manufacturing, distribution, technology and entertainment. With such a broad economic base, it’s no surprise Nashville ranked in the top 20% of all cities for its job market. However, Music City stands out most for its quality of life, ranking No. 66 overall, driven in part by its strong health care system, which placed Nashville in the top 10% nationwide.
4. Fort Worth, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 212 Population: 982,203 Average Commute: 23 minutes Median Home Price: $297,803 Median Monthly Rent: $1,199 Median Household Income: $77,336
Fort Worth, often considered the most typically Texan city, started as a small outpost on the western frontier and has since grown into a city with nearly 1 million residents. The city’s rich cultural scene, including the Stockyards, Cultural District, Sundance Square and more, and its high quality of life may be big reasons why Fort Worth ranked in the 91st percentile for net migration. Between July 2023 and July 2024, the city’s population increased by 23,442. In the quality of life category, Fort Worth stands out for its health care, which ranks in the top 15% of all cities.
3. Austin, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 164 Population: 997,670 Average Commute: 20 minutes Median Home Price: $584,446 Median Monthly Rent: $1,466 Median Household Income: $96,149
Austin, home of the distinguished Texas State Capitol Building and the University of Texas, is celebrated as the Live Music Capital of the World, and is well-known for its vibrant arts and culture scene. People here also enjoy the outdoors, especially around Lady Bird Lake and the surrounding Hill Country. If you’re looking for good food, Austin is renowned for its barbecue scene, particularly Texas-style barbecue. Austin isn’t the most affordable city, but it placed in the No. 13 spot for its quality of life, thanks to its superb air quality, a top-rated K-12 education system and its health care.
2. El Paso, Texas
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 107 Population: 666,841 Average Commute: 21 minutes Median Home Price: $175,800 Median Monthly Rent: $833 Median Household Income: $57,754
Once called Six Shooter Capital and Sin City, a place known for its outlaws, El Paso is a border city that now attracts a wide variety of residents with its recreational and Mexican-American cultural offerings. Residents and visitors love to explore the Franklin Mountains State Park, hike the Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site and enjoy views from the Scenic Drive Overlook. In this year’s overall Best Places to Live rankings, El Paso performed best in the value category, coming in the top 10% of cities thanks to its low housing costs and overall affordability. Housing costs in El Paso are nearly $195,000 lower than the national average; however, the median household income, which is less than $60,000 per year, is much lower.
1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Best Places 2025-2026 Rank: 96 Population: 713,207 Average Commute: 21 minutes Median Home Price: $230,952 Median Monthly Rent: $825 Median Household Income: $67,188
In Central Oklahoma on the banks of the Oklahoma River, Oklahoma City is surrounded by rolling hills that slope into the nearby grassy plains. The city boasts the world’s largest livestock markets and is well-known for its cowboy history, featuring museums such as the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, as well as numerous festivals. As the No. 1 city on the Best Big Cities to Live list, Oklahoma City stood out for its affordability, ranking in the 92nd percentile in the value category. Not only does the city have a lower cost of living, but housing costs are almost $140,000 lower than the national average. That mix of low housing costs, cultural richness and wide-open space makes Oklahoma City the perfect choice for those looking to stretch their budget without sacrificing quality of life.
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The 15 Best Big Cities to Live in the U.S. in 2025-2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
