10 Best Places to Live in Texas for Families | Texini

Texas is a great place to raise a family. There are hundreds of cities and locations to live in, and all of them have something to offer. From great schools to areas with very little crime. Let’s look at some of the best places to live in Texas for families.

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Kay Keeton, Editor in Chief

The best places in Texas for families to live are Flower Mound, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Frisco, Plano, Carrolton, Round Rock, Pearland, Coppell, and Austin. These cities have low crime, good schools, and low-cost housing.

Texas is a huge state, with many opportunities for families to thrive. When it comes to public school rankings, Texas is somewhere in the middle, coming in at 28 out of the 50 states. With over 38 million people in this state, this is not a bad position.

We’re going to go over some of our ranking factors, and how these 10 Texas cities are some of the best places in Texas to live, for raising a family. Being from Texas, I have personally lived in three of these cities, and consider them all to be excellent family environments.

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Texini Editor

Ranking Factors and Methodology

When we picked these 10 cities, we used several metrics that families consider important for a location. There are hundreds of cities in Texas, so we stacked them up against these three factors.

Education
Crime
Housing Costs

One of the main concerns for parents, when moving to a new area, is the education system. Public schools are notorious for being either very good, or terrible. Texas sits right in the middle on the national average, but some cities have very good schooling.

When it comes to crime, Texas has its fair share of it, however, many of the cities listed here have low crime, compared to other parts of the country. Housing is another important issue. Texas is known for having cheaper housing costs, compared to states like California. This makes it an affordable place to raise a family.

Best places to live in Texas for families.

1. Frisco, Texas

Frisco is located 30 miles north of Dallas. In 2018 it was listed as the #1 place to live in America by Money.com. They have some of the best public schools in the nation and have one of the highest graduation rates. Frisco has 49 parks and is a beautiful place.

It’s also one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. This also makes Frisco a hub for new jobs, and job growth. The home prices in Frisco are very low compared to the city’s average income. It also boasts a low crime rate, compared with nearby cities like Dallas.

Frisco Texas weather is warm and muggy in the summer, with mild winters. The coldest month is January with an average daytime temperature of 54 degrees. Like most of Texas, it can get hot and there is the occasional freeze or even snow. However cold events are rare and the general weather conditions make it ideal for outdoor recreation.

2. Flower Mound, Texas

Flower Mound is another Texas city that has a great environment for families. It’s located near several other cities on this list and is in an area that is known for being family-friendly. North Texas Child magazine, listed Flower Mound as the “Best City or Suburb to Raise Children.”

Flower Mound was listed in 2015 as one of the safest cities in the nation, by the FBI. The city also has become a medical destination, with many medical centers that offer medical specialties such as cardiology and pediatrics. The Lewisville Independent School District, of Flower Mound, has been given a high rating by the Texas Education Agency. Flower Mound also offers a variety of private schools.

Flower Mound is an affluent community with a two-parent median income family of $165,271. Flower Mound is named for the large 12-acre mound in the city’s main center. Flower Mount is a nice mixture of young professionals and retirees. Located a short 15 minutes from DFW airport you can easily fly anywhere and commuting is convenient as it is in the heart of the DFW area.

3. Plano, Texas

Plano is a city located in Collin County, Texas. It has a population of over 287,000 and is one of the best cities in Texas for families. The public schools in Plano are highly rated, and there are many fun and exciting things for families to do. The majority of residents in Plano own their homes, and housing costs are low.

Plano has a very low crime rate and has some of the lowest taxes in the region. This is what makes it such a good place to raise a family. It’s the ninth-largest city in Texas and has a huge job market.

Just 30 minutes from downtown Dallas, Plano offers the best of the Arts scene within its historic district. Plano also boasts a 300-acre Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve with nature and bike trails.

4. Coppell, Texas

I lived in Coppell for over a year. One thing that stood out to me, is that the community is very strong, and there is very little crime. The police department does an excellent job at deterring crime and keeping the streets safe.

Coppell is listed as the #8^th best city to live in America by Money.com. It is close to Dallas and the DFW airport, making it a convenient place to live for transportation. Housing is affordable in Coppell, and the schools have very good reviews from their residents. This is a small city, that offers safe neighborhoods and job growth.

Being a residential suburb in which its inhabitants often commute to work, Coppell is considered a ‘bedroom community’. The neighborhoods are very desirable in this well-established community with approximately 75% of its residents residing in single-family homes.

5. Cedar Park, Texas

Cedar Park is another city that I’ve lived in. It continues to rank as one of the safest cities for its size. It’s part of the Austin metropolitan area and is located in between several other great cities. It is known for having highly rated schools and a pro-business environment. This is a great city for families who want good schools and job opportunities.

Cedar Park is in the Leander independent school district which is recognized as one of the best school districts in Texas. It is also one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas. In fact, Cedar Park is one of the fastest-growing communities in Texas. The city is a short 17 miles from Austin, Texas downtown.

Cedar Park has many parks and places for families to gather and is considered family-friendly. It has a large library, that brings in people from other surrounding communities. The houses are affordable, although there has been a huge spike in people moving there, which could drive up the costs of housing in the future.

6. Pearland, Texas

Pearland is a city just south of Houston. This suburb of Houston has highly rated schools and is another good place for families. This is a diverse city with low crime rates and lots of job opportunities. You will find lots to love in Pearland if you are considering raising a family there.

Pearland is the second-fastest-growing city in Texas and has over 122,000 residents. Even though the increase in population has slightly grown the housing cost rates, it is still an affordable place to call home. There are lots of parks to bring the kids, and things like golf courses and shopping for the adults.

Pearland pronounced pear-land like the fruit is a short 50 miles from the gulf coast of Texas. A short 20 minutes from downtown Houston, Pearland is ranked as one of the safest cities in Texas.

7. Round Rock, Texas

Round Rock, Texas is another great city for raising a family. It’s another one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas and has a high-income rate for residents. It’s located close to Austin, Texas, and other cities on this list, making it a great overall area to live. The crime rate is higher than in other Texas cities on this list, but it makes up for it with its small community feel and child-friendly attitude.

The public schools in Round Rock are highly rated, and the housing is low cost enough that many people own their homes. You can’t go wrong raising a family in this area of Texas.

Round Rock is part of the greater Austin metropolitan area and as such, has many interesting places to visit within close driving distance. Round Rock is home to Dell Diamond, the home stadium of the Round Rock Express a triple-A minor baseball league.

8. Carrollton, Texas

Carrollton is another city located in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. The city is listed as the 39th best city in Texas to live, in by chamberofcommerce.org. This city has a small-town community vibe. The schools are highly rated, and there are plenty of things to do for both children and adults.

It ranks a little lower on crime than some of the other cities on this list, but the hometown feel makes up for any unscrupulous activities. It has strong job growth, with lots of opportunities. The cost of living is a little high, but housing is a low cost for the area.

Carrollton is both an industrial area and a suburban area. The school district is Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. With its many master-planned communities and its corporate presence, Carrollton provides a stable residential and economic base for raising a family.

9. Georgetown, Texas

Georgetown is a city in Texas that I have visited frequently. It has a small community vibe while still being one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. It’s located in Williamson County and has a low crime rate, ranked #3^rd among the safest cities in Texas. There are lots of parks, and fun places to visit.

Most of the residents in Georgetown own their homes, and the housing market is considered low-cost for the area. A lot of people retire in Georgetown and it is known as a retirement city. It is also home to Dell Computers, which gives the economy and job market a boost.

Located 30 miles from downtown Austin it is known as the gateway to Austin. Home to Inner Space Cavern, Lake Georgetown, Southwestern University, and the annual Red Poppy Festival the city of Georgetown offers a wealth of opportunities for families.

10. Austin, Texas

I’ve lived in Austin, Texas for over 20 years and I can tell you from experience it is one of the best cities in Texas. There are a ton of parks and lakes, libraries, and schools that are highly ranked. In 2019, the FBI ranked Austin the 11^th safest city for “crimes against a person” in the nation.

There are endless family-friendly events and no matter what part of town you live in, you can find a supportive community with you and your family to connect. Even though a huge number of people are moving to Austin from other states, it is still a worthwhile city to raise your family.

The city of Austin locals are some of the most friendly people in the nation. Austin has many unique neighborhoods consisting of both single-family residence communities and multi-family communities. Due to its shortage of single-family homes, it is one of the busiest home construction markets in the nation.

Read about Austinites here. Read about Keeping Austin Weird here.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, Texas is just a great place for families. There are hundreds of cities that you can fall in love with. I spent my childhood in Texas and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend those precious years in any other state.

With lots of sunshine, no state income tax, diverse culture, affordable living, and a booming job market Texas is a great choice for families. Our southern hospitality dished out Texas style has no competition for its friendly, down-to-earth residents. Texas has plenty of great cities and towns with wildlife, beaches, hills, rivers, and more, providing plenty of room for growth and family stability.

They say we Texans are proud, some say too proud, but to me, growing up in Texas has helped me and my family live a safe, high-quality life, and to me, that is priceless. We hope this list of the best places to live in Texas for families has given you some much-needed perspective. Also check out our article for the 15 best small towns in Texas, here.

Is Texas a Good Place to Live? Find out here.

Is Texas a good place for families to live?

Texas has recently ranked the number one state in the country for families, based on criteria such as affordability, jobs, and education opportunities. With its warm climate, low cost of living, and abundance of job opportunities, Texas is an ideal location for families to settle down.