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Put the Best Places to Live in Texas on Your Job Hunt List

By Kathleen Walder, Monster Contributor

Ask 10 Texans what they like about living and working in the Lone Star State, and you’re likely to get 10 different answers ranging from sunny weather and fantastic food to a healthy economy and winning sports teams. You’ll get a long list of the best places to live in Texas since there’s so much to enjoy throughout the state.

The first thing you’re likely to notice in Texas is the weather. The state sees an average of 232 sunny days each year, spread throughout the seasons. You’ll meet and work with people from many cultures that have made Texas their home. And when you’re looking for a job and a house, you’ll find a healthy economy and affordable housing.

Here are some other things people enjoy about working and living in Texas:

  • Texas has a thriving job market.
  • Its economy is the ninth largest in the world, ahead of Canada and South Korea.
  • A diverse population brings Texas festive food and entertainment choices.
  • Texans don’t pay personal or state income taxes.
  • You’ll find top universities throughout the state.
  • The minimum age to work in Texas is 14 years old. Children as young as 11 can work for their parents’ business or have a newspaper route.

10 of the Best Places to Live in Texas

With more than 260,000 square miles, Texas is the second-largest state in the U.S. Let’s take a tour of the major Texas cities, so you can find one that’s right for your career and your lifestyle.

Arlington

The city of Arlington is an entertainment hub in Texas. It has more than 100 miles of hike and bike trails for outdoor enthusiasts, 20 green parks, and 14 golf courses. One of the best-known theme parks in the U.S., Six Flags Over Texas, is in Arlington.

Arlington is the halfway point in the Metroplex between Dallas and Fort Worth, making it one of the best cities to live in Texas for its convenient drive into either city for business. A little over 12% of Arlington residents, or 23,000, work in healthcare at four major medical facilities that include the renowned Baylor Orthopedic and Spine Hospital, Arlington Memorial Hospital, Medical Center of Arlington, and the physician-owned USMD Hospital.

Discover Arlington, TX jobs on Monster.

Austin

“Keep Austin Weird,” the unofficial slogan of the Texas state capital of Austin, is a testament to the friendly, down-home feel of this large city. Austin has five primary neighborhoods, each with a unique flavor. Downtown is the arts and culture section. North Austin has scenic views. South Austin is trendy. East Austin is more established with historic homes. West Austin is known as one of the best places to live in Texas for families because of its top-notch schools.

Where can you find work in Austin? With tech giants like Apple, Google, and Oracle opening Austin offices, the city is called “Silicon Hills.” Apple’s $1 billion campus makes it Austin’s largest employer, with the capacity for 15,000 employees.

Discover Austin, TX jobs on Monster.

Corpus Christi

Situated on the Gulf Coast, Corpus Christi residents enjoy the beach, fishing, sailing, and other water sports in a laid-back atmosphere that make the city one of the best places to live in Texas. It’s also a great place to visit, with more than 10 million visitors arriving each year to keep the tourist economy healthy. Looking for a job outside of hospitality? The Corpus Christi Naval Air Station is one of the largest employers in the city. The chemical and petroleum manufacturing industry you find throughout Texas is also active in Corpus Christi.

Discover Corpus Christi, TX jobs on Monster.

Dallas

There’s a reason some of the wealthiest people have decided that Dallas is one of the best places to live in Texas. It has a thriving economy, but it’s also affordable. The Dallas cost of living is low for a major city at just about 2% above the U.S. average.

But life is not all work in Dallas. Shopping, museums, galleries, and restaurants are abundant. And don’t forget the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers games. If you prefer to spend your free time in the fresh air, you’ve got three national forests and lakes to enjoy. The Dallas job market is also attractive, with oil companies, Southwest Airlines, and Comerica all headquartered in Dallas.

Discover Dallas, TX jobs on Monster.

El Paso

Next to the Mexican border and the Rio Grande, El Paso is a jewel surrounded by desert and beautiful scenery. It’s one of the best places to live in Texas because of its reputation for safety. It lures many with a cost of living about 10% lower than the national average. Even better, housing comes in at 22% below other areas across the country. For foodies, El Paso’s proximity to Mexico has helped the city develop a Tex-Mex cuisine like no other.

The city has a healthy job market with some of the best companies to work for in Texas from the Fortune 500. More than 70 of these companies call El Paso home, including AT&T, Raytheon, Verizon, and Wells Fargo. Two large hospitals employ healthcare specialists, and educators can use The University of Texas at El Paso as a source for education jobs.

Discover El Paso, TX jobs on Monster.

Fort Worth

Fort Worth is part of the Metroplex with Dallas and Arlington, but it has a unique flavor and a lower cost of living that sets it apart. Many cattle ranches still operate in Fort Worth, so it’s considered authentic “Cowboy Culture” compared to Dallas. It’s the best of both worlds with a laid-back attitude amid all the amenities of big city Dallas.

Even with the feeling of a western hometown, Dallas-Fort Worth has a bunch of Fortune 500 companies. These include American Airlines, BNSF Railway, and GE Manufacturing Solutions.

Discover Fort Worth, TX jobs on Monster.

Houston

Houston is the Lone Star State’s largest city and the fourth-largest in the U.S. It has two main districts divided by Highway 610. Which area is one of the best places to live in Texas is up to your particular taste. Inside “the loop” is downtown Houston with lively restaurant and entertainment offerings and densely populated, ethnically diverse neighborhoods. Outside the loop are traditional suburban areas with single-family homes, upscale townhouses, and gated communities.

While Houston still has a strong oil industry, STEM careers are taking on more importance. Texas Medical Center in Houston is the world’s largest medical campus, with more than 60 healthcare institutions. It has jobs for physicians, scientists, and workers in research and development.

Discover Houston, TX jobs on Monster.

Lubbock

If you’re looking for a place with work-life balance, put Lubbock on your list of one of the best places to live in Texas. This is partly attributed to it having one of the shortest commute times in the U.S. at just 16 minutes. Lubbock is called “Hub City” for its location at the crossroads of four major highways at an equal distance between both U.S. coasts. This positioning allows the city to provide economic, educational, and healthcare services to the south plains.

Speaking of healthcare, thousands of medical professionals work in Lubbock. Texas Tech University and its Health Science Center contribute to healthcare employment and job opportunities in higher education.

Discover Lubbock, TX jobs on Monster.

Plano

If you like the idea of living in Dallas but aren’t quite sure you’re right for big city life, one of the best areas to live in Texas is Plano. Just a 20-to-30-minute drive to Dallas, Plano is known for its suburban living with urban entertainment and culture. Plano is a very safe city to live in, with a crime rate 29% lower than the national average. You’ll find trade, business, education, and manufacturing companies in Plano that include Alliance Data Systems, Cinemark, Keurig, Frito-Lay, and Toyota North America.

Discover Plano, TX jobs on Monster.

San Antonio

A beautiful city where Spanish culture meets the old west, San Antonio is not just a great vacation spot. It’s also one of the best places to live in Texas, with a variety of neighborhoods for families, young couples, established professionals, and singles.

Looking for jobs in San Antonio? The city has attracted company headquarters including iHeartMedia, Whataburger, and Valera. It’s also the home of Joint Base San Antonio, with Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Defense Health Agency stationed there. Major San Antonio industries also include healthcare and bioscience.

Discover San Antonio, TX jobs on Monster.

More of the Best Cities to Live in Texas

If you’d like to explore more areas of Texas, you can find great places for Texas work in these cities:

Start Your Job Hunt in the Best Places to Live in Texas With Monster

Whether deep in the heart of Texas, in one of its big cities, or in charming western towns, Monster is there to help you find your fit working in Texas. Your best first step is to set up your Monster profile so recruiters and hiring managers know what jobs you’re looking for. It will also let us know which job postings and career advice to email you.