Houston once again ranks among the top 10 on the 2024 list of “Americas Best Cities” compiled by Resonance Consultancy.
The place-marketing consulting firm ranks cities annually based on numerous qualities; this year those qualities fell under three broad areas: livability, lovability and prosperity. Houston ranked No. 10 on this year’s list that ranked all major American cities with populations of 500,000 or more.
“Given the new rules of post-pandemic migration, the rise of remote work and the never-ending search for housing affordability, more American cities of all sizes are catching the imagination of global talent more frequently, with urban wealth and vibrancy created in more places than ever before,” the report stated.
Houston “is an increasingly coveted hometown for some of the best and brightest on earth,” the report’s authors wrote, adding that “the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston.”
Breaking down the qualities that Resonance considered under each of the three main pillars is illustrative of what people often look for in a place to live. Under Livability, the company considered such elements as cost of living, walkability, average rent, and outdoor experiences. Characteristics tied to Lovability include restaurants, Google trends, museums, and professional sports teams. Finally, Prosperity includes qualities tied to the economy, including number of Fortune 500 companies, educational attainment, airport connectivity and labor force participation.
Houston gained high marks for its dining scene (“a mix of Southern Soul and barbecue with Mexican that’s then seasoned with global cuisine”), number of Fortune 500 companies (third highest in the nation), and concentration of aerospace firms positioned to take advantage of the emerging new space economy.
The city is also poised to be a leader in the global energy transition, with an estimated $250 billion potentially headed here over the next 15 years in green energy tech investment, according to a recent McKinsey report.
Houston led other Texas cities that also made the list, including Austin at No. 15 and Dallas at No. 16.
Resonance’s full list of 10 best American cities are:
- New York, New York
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami, Florida
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- San Francisco, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Washington, D.C.
- Seattle, Washington
- Houston, Texas
Download a copy of the full report.
Written by A.J. Mistretta
