Ranking It

New list of best cities to live in America puts this Dallas suburb on top

Once again, people proclaim their love for Plano.

A new list of the best cities to live in America has surfaced, and — not surprisingly — Texas is all over the top 25. We have five of the best cities, according to Niche.com, with our closest competitor being California, with four.

Niche.com analyzed publicly available data and aggregated user reviews to determined these rankings. The stats for the 228 cities on the list looked at higher education rates from the U.S. Census Bureau and Niche's own grades for cost of living, diversity, crime and safety, commute times, jobs, weather, nightlife, outdoor activities, health and fitness, public schools, and family friendliness.

Plano takes North Texas' top honor at No. 7, with a Niche grade of A-plus and nearly 500 user reviews. The only areas where the suburb receives lower than an A are in outdoor activities, weather, cost of living, and crime and safety, though its number of violent and property crimes is still way below those of the nation as a whole.

Richardson is No. 12, with a grade that's slightly lower than Plano in health and fitness but curiously higher for outdoor activities. According to Niche, both are excellent for families and diversity.

No. 6 The Woodlands, just outside of Houston, is ranked the best in Texas. Its crime and safety score is mysteriously absent, but the public schools, jobs outlook, and family friendliness all pull in A-plus grades to make up for it. Even the city's notoriously humid weather is looked upon favorably — or at least the 229 users who've reviewed the city feel alright overlooking it.

Affordable, entrepreneur-friendly Round Rock gets the No. 16 nod, drawing in high scores for everything but crime and safety and ... cost of living. And neighboring Austin isn't far behind at No. 22, taking a bigger hit in those same two categories (theft seems to be a major problem in the Capital City). But more than 1,000 people are willing to declare their love for Austin, which is by far the most reviews in the top 25.

So which city does Niche declare the best? Ann Arbor, Michigan, despite a few B grades and even a C for weather. Clearly they've never lived in Texas.

bests rankings texas

love on a budget

Texas makes top 10 for most affordable date nights in the U.S.

Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen

Going on a date doesn't have to be expensive.

Finding love on a budget has never been easier in Texas, which was just ranked one of the top 10 states with the most affordable date costs in the country.

Texans spend about $81 on average for a typical date night, which is the 10th cheapest cost out of all 50 states, according to a new study from dating advice platform Muse.

The report compared statewide costs for a date based on the average price of a restaurant meal for two and the average price of a soft drink, domestic beer, and a bottle of wine. Muse additionally extrapolated total costs across "basic," "standard," and "premium" dinner date tiers. Pricing data was provided from consumer pricing database Numbeo on February 2, 2026.

Texas' typical dinner date cost is nearly $11 lower than the $91.75 national average.

This is how the analysis broke down the average price of a dinner date in Texas:

Mid-range restaurant meal for two: $66.67
Soft drink: $2.47
Domestic beer: $6
Bottle of wine: $13.41

Based on these figures, Muse determined that the cost of a "basic" date in Texas – defined as "a three-course meal for two and two soft drinks" – adds up to $71.61. Texans spend an average $78.17 for a "standard" date, meaning the same three-course meal but sub in two domestic beers instead of soft drinks. "Premium" dates for couples, who splurge on a bottle of wine with their meal, will rack up a $93.49 bill at the end of the night, the data says.

North Texans have extra bragging rights considering Dallas was crowned the No. 1 most affordable city for dining out in 2025, and the city is conveniently home to one of the most romantic restaurants in America.

States with the most and least expensive date costs
West Virginia topped the list with the most affordable date nights in the U.S., with the typical date costing $60.22, far lower than the national average. Hawaii, on the other hand, is the most expensive state for dinner date in the nation. The average cost for a date in the Aloha state will set couples back by $144.24.

"People often assume it’s the drinks that make date nights expensive, but it’s really the meal that changes everything," a Muse spokesperson said. "Depending on where you live, the same dinner for two could cost twice as much, and that adds up fast when you're planning something special for Valentine’s Day. No matter the price tag, what matters most is the time spent together, but knowing where your dollar stretches further never hurts."

Celebrating love doesn't have to revolve around going out for dinner. There are many ways to surprise your sweetheart that don't involve going out to eat, like listening to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, watching an Avant Chamber Ballet show, or going on a romantic retreat elsewhere around Texas.

The top 10 most affordable states for a dinner date with their average costs are:

No. 1 – West Virginia ($60.22)
No. 2 – North Dakota ($65.67)
No. 3 – Minnesota ($68.33)
No. 4 – Alabama ($69.74)
No. 5 – Mississippi ($74.37)
No. 6 – Illinois ($74.97)
No. 7 – Kansas ($75.14)
No. 8 – Georgia ($76)
No. 9 – Wyoming ($78.50)
No. 10 – Texas ($81.09)

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