Needless to say, if you’re thinking of moving to the Lone Star state, you have plenty of opportunities to choose from. It’s actually making the choice that’s the hard part.

That’s where

Jerry

comes in. Jerry isn’t just the

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across all platforms. We can also help you narrow down your search for your new home. Keep reading for Jerry’s choices of the best places to live in Texas.

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What makes a good place to live?

We all have different things we look for in a place to live. Shopping, nightlife, and a thriving art scene may be on your list. Or maybe you’re more concerned about great schools, restaurants, and gas prices. Either way, there are a whole host of factors that go into making a place liveable, and often it comes down to personal preference.

Considering all of the possibilities, Jerry has narrowed down eight Texas towns and cities to make your research a little easier: Hutto, The Woodlands, Amarillo, Brownsville, Waco, Cottonwood Creek, Fulshear, and Heights Park. We used the following factors to determine our choices:

Median home price

Cost of living

Quality of schools

Crime rates

Healthcare

Average commute times

FEMA risk index ratings

Using these metrics, we’ve found the best places to live in Texas in three categories: the best places for families, the most affordable places, and the best places to buy a house.

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The best places for families to live in Texas

Great schools, a low crime rate, and access to parks and green spaces are all high priorities for families with kids. Here are the best places to raise little ones in the Lone Star state.

Hutto

Location: Williamson County

Population: 26,778

Median household income: $37,014

Median home price: $414,500

Located 30 minutes from

Austin

, Hutto gives you all the charm of a small town with proximity to one of Texas’ cultural hubs. In

Hutto

, you can frequent parks, shops, and restaurants, all while enjoying a small town experience.

The town’s school district has 10 schools (at all instruction levels), and it is considered 50 school districts for diversity in the state. Hutto is also very much a young person town as 35% of the population is under 18.

In Hutto’s downtown area, you can visit the

Hippo Cafe

and the

Texan Cafe and Pie Shop

. Stop by the

Downtown Hall of Fame

on parents' night out or spend long afternoons in Creekside Park with the family.

The Woodlands

Location: Montgomery County

Population: 113,819

Median household income: $122,634

Median home price: $374,200

The Woodlands

has something for everyone. A suburb of

Houston

, The Woodlands is known for its access to nature, making it a great place to raise kids. Lake Woodlands and the Woodlands Waterway both border the city, and both water spots are hotspots for kayaking, fishing, and other beach fun.

Ranking #2 in the state for a place for families to raise children, The Woodlands’ schools are highly-rated,

earning an A+

across the board.

Aside from the great schools, the biggest draw to The Woodlands has to be its parks, green spaces, and access to natural lands. Just 10 minutes from the

George Mitchell Nature Preserve

, The Woodlands also has many parks and green patches dispersed throughout the city.

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20 fun things to do in Texas with kids

The most affordable places to live in Texas

High cost of living is becoming an issue for many people lately, making lower-cost cities more and more desirable. Here are some great towns and cities in Texas that will give you all the culture and nightlife of a bigger city, while not hurting your pocket.

Amarillo

Location: Potter County

Population: 199,225

Median household income: $29,926

Median home price: $147,611

Amarillo

is the most populous city in the Texas Panhandle and is Texas’s the cheapest city to live in. If you’re a city person trying to save money on housing, Amarillo might be a great fit for you.

Amarillo’s cost of living is well below both the Texas and national average, making it an extremely affordable place to live. For a mid-sized city, Amarillo has quite a few art galleries and cultural centers, giving you the best of a big city while still being one of the cheapest places to live in Texas.

The city has several parks, lakes, and ponds to help you escape the city, as well as proximity to the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center—650 acres of wild Texas panhandle with miles of trails. Amarillo also has its own

amusement park

and water park, perfect for escaping the Texas heat on a Friday night.

Brownsville

Location: Cameron County

Population: 422,135

Median household income: $38,588

Median home price: $118,205

Located on the banks of the Rio Grande,

Brownsville

is the cheapest place to rent in Texas, with an average cost of living 29 points below the national average.

Brownsville is a great place for food, music, and culture. Its cultural district hosts annual cultural and music festivals, as well as a farmers market every Saturday. The

Brownsville Museum of Fine Art

, the

Gladys Porter Zoo

, and the

Palo Alto Battlefield Historical Park

are just a few of the attractions available in this bustling border city.

Brownsville’s biggest draw, however, has to be its proximity to the beach—it’s 45 minutes from South Padre Island and right across the border from Mexico.

Waco

Location: McLennan County

Population: 136,000

Median household income: $40,190

Median home price: $154,794

Located halfway between Austin and

Dallas

, Waco’s rental and home buying prices are well below the national average, making it a pretty inexpensive place to live. Home to both the

Texas Ranger Hall of Fame

and the

Texas Sports Hall of Fame

, Waco is a sweet little burg with undeniable charm and character.

Waco’s

most visited attraction is the Waco Mammoth National Monument, the site of thousand-year-old Columbian mammoth bones found in the 1970s.

You also can peruse multiple art galleries, visit local theaters, and enjoy the thriving culinary scene along the banks of the Brazos River. Or, if you’re looking to escape city life, relax on Lake Waco at one of the many campgrounds and green spaces.

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How bad is Waco traffic?

The best places to buy a house in Texas

If you’re looking to invest in real estate, you’re probably looking at job opportunities, access to nature, and good cultural opportunities. It’s also a good idea to consider the potential risk of natural disasters. Here are the best places in Texas to settle down and buy a house based on Realtor.com ratings and the FEMA risk index.

Cottonwood Creek

Location: Dallas County

Population: 1,108

Median household income: $137,656

Median home price: $329,500

Cottonwood Creek is a neighborhood of

Richardson

, just a half-hour from Dallas. Cottonwood Creek shares the neighborhood with the University of Texas at Dallas, an expansive campus with art, theater, and green spaces in abundance.

Cottonwood Creek is rated the #1 best neighborhood in Richardson by

Niche

, earning an A for nightlife and an A+ for public schools. It’s also ranked the 4th best place to buy a house in the entire country by Realtor.com, so you know you’re making a good investment with Cottonwood Creek’s real estate.

That said, it does have a FEMA Risk Index rating of 42.97, which is very high, with a high risk of hail being the most common disaster. However, Richardson is not as prone to other disasters as other parts of the state.

Fulshear

Location: Fort Bend County

Population: 9,906

Median household income: $166,863

Median home price: $399,300

Just 20 minutes from Houston,

Fulshear

is a truly unique town. From its growing economy and ample business opportunities to its one-of-a-kind landscape and natural features, Fulshear offers the best of small town living in Texas.

Fulshear’s downtown area has a burgeoning fine dining scene, with many shops, eateries, and cafes of all kinds. Enjoy different types of cuisines and dining styles, or spend your Friday nights at any of the several local breweries for a taste of the town's craft beer.

Unlike many places in Texas, Fulshear has a relatively moderate FEMA risk index rating of 18.81 with hurricanes being the highest natural disaster risk in the region.

Heights Park

Location: Dallas County

Population: 3,185

Median household income: $104,974

Median home price: $289,365

Heights Park is another neighborhood of Richardson, ranked 2nd best neighborhood in Richardson after Cottonwood Creek. With a well-established and organized community, Heights Park is a peaceful neighborhood with a lot to see and do.

Just 20 minutes from Dallas, Heights Park gives you a taste of the city with the tight-knit community of a small town. It’s got nightlife, music, and of course, lots of space to build a life in if you decide to settle down. The picturesque Cottonwood Creek runs through Heights Park, and the titular park space is a popular hang spot for locals.

Close to Richardson, Heights Park has a similar high-risk FEMA index rating, but it has a relatively low risk of major disasters, like hurricanes.

MORE:

How to choose the right kind of home insurance for you

How to find homeowners insurance in Texas

If you own a home in Texas, you’re going to want

homeowners insurance

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