Love for Dallas

Dallas makes U.S. News list of best places to live for quality of life

The glowing new report praised Dallas' quality of life.

Photo courtesy of Klyde Warren Park

Dallas and three other Texas cities were just hailed in U.S. News & World Report's new rankings of the best places to live for their high quality of life.

This new list, published in July, is part of U.S. News' Best Places to Live rankings, but the 25 cities that made the list were chosen solely based on quality of life factors such as education, healthcare, crime rates, air quality, resilience to natural disasters, and more.

The top two cities that are the best places to live for their top-tier quality of life are Brookline (No. 1) and Newton (No. 2) in Massachusetts. Bethesda, Maryland (No. 3), Bellevue, Washington (No. 4), and Malden, Massachusetts (No. 5) round out the top five.

Dallas ranked 20th on the list overall, with U.S. News praising the city's unique and successful blend of a "quiet suburban life and big city buzz" that attracts young individuals and professionals.

The report also touted Dallas' highly-rated medical system, and its growing reputation as a foodie city with numerous eateries serving up anything from Argentine empanadas, to Dubai chocolate treats, to classic Southern fare like Tex-Mex or barbecue.

"The city also ranks within the top 5 percent for health care access and is home to nationally ranked hospitals such as UT Southwestern Medical Center and Baylor University Medical Center," the report said. "The Dallas Arts District claims the title of the largest contiguous urban arts district in the U.S., and the city also boasts major sports franchises such as the Cowboys and Mavericks that keep energy high year-round."

According to U.S. News, the median income for a Dallas household is $68,895 a year, and the median value of a home is "slightly better" than similarly sized U.S. cities, coming out to more than $337,000.

Other Texas cities on the list
Austin was dubbed the 13th best place to live for its quality of life, and the No. 1 best in Texas. Houston ranked two spots behind as No. 15, and the Rio Grande Valley city of McAllen earned a spot on the list as No. 23.

"The town of McAllen boasts year-round sunshine and a vibrant business scene for retail, international trade and manufacturing," the report said. "Situated on the Mexico border, this bicultural community ranks No. 32 for college readiness and reports a shorter commute time, 18.3 minutes, compared with the national average of 22 minutes. McAllen also is one of the most affordable cities, claiming the No. 9 spot for cost of living and No. 23 on the most affordable places to live list."

U.S. News' top 10 best places to live for their quality of life are:

No. 1 – Brookline, Massachusetts
No. 2 – Newton, Massachusetts
No. 3 – Bethesda, Maryland
No. 4 – Bellevue, Washington
No. 5 – Malden, Massachusetts
No. 6 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
No. 7 – Cambridge, Massachusetts
No. 8 – Kirkland, Washington
No. 9 – Rockville, Maryland
No. 10 – Passaic, New Jersey

best places to live us news & world report rankings real estate dallas

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2. Plano ranks as No. 2 safest big city in the U.S. for 2026. Plano can add a new title to its growing list of superlatives. A new study ranks the Dallas suburb as the second-safest city in the U.S. among those with at least 250,000 residents.

3. Shaquille O'Neal cruises Dallas lake in custom '64 Chevy Impala boat. Those on Lake Ray Hubbard in early July witnessed basketball superstar Shaq cruising the waters in a convertible 1964 Chevrolet Impala. A surreal sight, onlookers say.

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4. This Dallas neighbor is the No. 2 hottest ZIP code to move to in 2026. A new migration report has reaffirmed Texas as one of the hottest destinations for movers during the first half of 2026, and one Dallas suburb is attracting more movers than almost any other ZIP code in America.

5. Chinese restaurant Yang's Smokehouse in Plano has sensational skewers. A new family-owned Asian restaurant specializing in skewers has opened in Plano. Called Yang's Smokehouse, it's a Chinese place now open at the Mitsuya Marketplace center with a menu featuring dishes you won't find anywhere else in Dallas.