Blog > 5 Austin neighbors named among best small cities to live in America
Several suburbs that make up the Austin metro are among the best small cities to live in, according to a new WalletHub study. And two perennial favorites lead the way.
In total, five Austin neighbors — with Cedar Park and Leander at the top of the pack — have been rated among the best small cities in America for 2026.
WalletHub's annual survey compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 residents based on 45 livability metrics categorized into five key dimensions: affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life, and safety. Cities were then grouped by percentile, where the 99th percentile represents the very best.
Nineteen small U.S. cities were rated in the 99th percentile, with the top three spots occupied by Lexington, Massachusetts; Brookfield, Wisconsin; and Carmel, Indiana. No Texas city earned this rating.
Cedar Park claimed new bragging rights as the No. 1 best small city in Texas to live in, and it was rated in the 96th percentile of all small cities in the nation. Nearby Leander ranked in the 93rd percentile this year, in a slight dip from the last two years, where it held strong in the 97th percentile.
The two northwest Austin neighbors are no stranger to being featured on similar livability reports. Cedar Park was named one of the best Texas cities to move to in 2024, and Leander flourished as the No. 8 best U.S. city to live in 2026, according to a separate livability ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
"Moving from a bustling metropolis to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "While small cities may lack some advantages of big cities, like robust public transportation systems, they make up for these shortcomings in other areas."
Cost-saving benefits aside, Lupo also said the best small cities have "strong job markets, high-quality education, good health care, safe living conditions, and plenty of local flair to help [residents] achieve a high quality of life."
The three other Austin-area cities that appeared among the top 50th percentile of the best small American cities are:
- Georgetown – 84th percentile
- Pflugerville – 79th percentile
- Kyle – 68th percentile