Three Texas cities rank in top 60 best cities in the world, new report finds

HOUSTON — Three Texas cities have something to boast about this year with a new report ranking them in the top 100 cities in the world. 

The rankings come from Resonance Consultancy’s 2025 World’s Best Cities Report, which looked at over 270 global cities with over 1 million people. 

The annual report looks at three key factors when deciding its rankings–livability, lovability and prosperity. All three factors break down into subcategories that look at the quality of life and reviews of each city. 

While London, New York and Paris topped the list, a couple of Texas cities were featured in the top 60. One Texas city even made the top 50.

Houston came in at No. 40 on the list, behind Portland and St. Louis. 

“H-Town is an increasingly coveted hometown for some of the best and brightest on earth. And beyond,” the report’s website says.

The report specifically cited Houston’s diversity as one of the main reasons for its high ranking. In the culture category, Houston ranked 34th in the world. 

“But where America’s fourth-largest city truly takes off is in its economic heft and wealth, ranking #9 globally for GDP per Capita and #14 for Fortune 500 companies in town,” the report said.

The report also gave Houston high marks for its convention center and parks and recreation.

The next Texas city to make the list was Austin, coming in at No. 53, and the report describes Texas’ capital city as the American dream’s new hometown.

“Austin continues to position itself as a hub of innovation and talent,” the report said. “Known for its progressive spirit and strong university presence, the city ranks #13 in our Educational Attainment subcategory.”

According to the report, the University of Texas at Austin is what sets the city apart from others on the list. 

The report also noted how the Austin area has become a hub for some major corporations like Tesla, Whole Foods and Dell. It also remarked on the large amount of growth Austin has seen with its skyline changing every year. 

“The city’s new high-rises, such as the Waterline, which will be the tallest building in Texas by 2026, and the upcoming Wilson Tower, are redefining downtown living,” the report said. “These mixed-use developments bring with them luxury living, office space and retail, signaling Austin’s transition into a more urban metropolis.”

But, as the report noted, rapid growth can have its downsides. Austin is one of the least affordable cities in the U.S. and office vacancy rates have been climbing as more companies move to remote work. 

The Live Music Capital of the World makes up for those pitfalls with its culture ranking at No. 29 and both educational attainment and parks and recreation categories coming in at No. 13. 

The next Texas city to make the list is only a couple of spots down at No. 55, Dallas.

“‘Big Things Happen Here’ can refer to any one of investment, population growth or cultural ascent in the Big D,” the report said. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has seen some major growth over the past few years, and the report gave the city high marks for its connectivity and hosting a large amount of corporate headquarters. 

The report ranked Dallas fifth for airport connectivity, with the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport being the third busiest airport in the world. 

The report also praised Dallas for its investments in infrastructure, including a $3 billion airport expansion, a $3 billion convention center facility and the elevation of Interstate 345. 

“But Dallas is big on fun and culture, too. This is the home of America’s sixth-largest LGBTQIA+ community,” the report said. “And on 20 square blocks of mixed-use space, institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art and Crow Museum of Asian Art join theaters and symphony and opera venues to power the city’s #46 Culture ranking.”

The full list of rankings is on Resonance’s website.