Dallas has already proven to be a major hub for business, and now three of its neighbors – Frisco, Flower Mound, and McKinney – are rising up among the best small U.S. cities for big career opportunities.
A new nationwide survey from CoworkingCafe ranked the three Dallas-Fort Worth cities among its top-20 career hotspots with populations under 250,000 residents.
According to the study, these standout U.S. suburbs "combine economic acceleration with day-to-day livability, offering residents both upward mobility and stable community fundamentals."
Frisco ranked the highest, climbing up into No. 11, and CoworkingCafe said the suburb has a "highly engaged" workforce whose wages have surged 33 percent since 2019. Frisco households make a median income of $145,444 a year, the report added.
"The labor force is highly engaged (74.2 percent) with low unemployment and a strong employer base supported by 3,050 establishments per 100[,000] residents," the report said. "With 95 percent [of residents having] fiber access, excellent healthcare and top-tier safety, Frisco backs its economic strength with day-to-day comfort."
Frisco's high income and fast Wi-FI speeds also make it a highly desirable place to live for remote workers.
Affluent Flower Mound, which was crowned the best place to live in the U.S. in 2025, followed after Frisco in the No. 15 spot. CoworkingCafe said the suburb's $166,624 median household income has grown 25 percent from 2019 to 2024, and the city's "affordability remains favorable relative to income levels." Career-focused Flower Mound residents aren't shy about being big spenders.
If North Texans are seeking affordability over all other factors, No. 20-ranking McKinney is the place to be. The report said McKinney offers the perfect balance between "affordability, opportunity and amenities." It doesn't hurt that households earn a median annual income of $124,177, a figure that has ballooned 24 percent over the last five years.
"The findings reveal two clear paths to success: fast-growing suburban hubs buzzing with innovation and more established tech-driven economies that already have a global reach," the report said. "Together, they show that even smaller places can give you big advantages professionally, sometimes even more than the big metros."
Elsewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth, other career hotspots with populations under 250,000 residents that made it into the top 100 include Mansfield (No. 37), Allen (No. 43), Richardson (No. 58), and Lewisville (No. 80).
Here's how other Texas suburbs fared among CoworkingCafe's top 100 best career hotspots in 2026:
- No. 17 – Pflugerville
- No. 22 – Cedar Park
- No. 31 – Round Rock
- No. 59 – Pearland
- No. 73 – League City
- No. 76 – Sugar Land
- No. 89 – Temple
- No. 90 – Georgetown
- No. 97 – Amarillo