Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Texas a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Texas.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Lone Star State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Texas, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 253 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Texas For 2024
Rockwall County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Texas. And you should avoid Hudspeth County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Texas. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Texas and the cheapest places to live in Texas.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Texas For 2024
1. Rockwall County
Biggest Place: Dallas
Population: 110,631
Median Income: $121,303 (best)
Median Home Price: $418,509 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9% (9best)
More on Rockwall County: Data
2. Collin County
Biggest Place: Dallas
Population: 1,079,153
Median Income: $113,255 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $508,368 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (112th best)
More on Collin County: Data
3. Comal County
Biggest Place: San Antonio
Population: 165,201
Median Income: $93,744 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $450,175 (9th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (83rd best)
More on Comal County: Data
4. Williamson County
Biggest Place: Austin
Population: 617,396
Median Income: $102,851 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $430,790 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (12best)
More on Williamson County: Data
5. Denton County
Biggest Place: Dallas
Population: 914,870
Median Income: $104,180 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $452,848 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.0% (105th best)
More on Denton County: Data
6. Somervell County
Biggest Place: Glen Rose
Population: 9,337
Median Income: $87,899 (19th best)
Median Home Price: $376,510 (17th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9% (98th best)
More on Somervell County: Data
7. Kendall County
Biggest Place: Boerne
Population: 45,376
Median Income: $104,196 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $580,678 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (143rd best)
More on Kendall County: Data
8. Wilson County
Biggest Place: Floresville
Population: 50,381
Median Income: $89,708 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $407,043 (15th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4% (69th best)
More on Wilson County: Data
9. Randall County
Biggest Place: Amarillo
Population: 141,489
Median Income: $78,038 (33rd best)
Median Home Price: $242,374 (68th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (54th best)
More on Randall County: Data
10. Armstrong County
Biggest Place: Claude
Population: 1,912
Median Income: $70,417 (55th best)
Median Home Price: $185,741 (123rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.2% (7th best)
More on Armstrong County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Texas county is the best?
To give you the best county in Texas, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Texas across each of the criteria from one to 253, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Texas.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Lone Star State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Texas.
Read on to see why Rockwall County is the best county, while Hudspeth County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Texas.
Summary: The Best Counties In Texas To Call Home For 2024
Living in Texas can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Texas are Rockwall County, Collin County, Comal County, Williamson County, Denton County, Somervell County, Kendall County, Wilson County, Randall County, and Armstrong County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Texas according to the data:
- Hudspeth County
- Starr County
- Willacy County
For more Texas reading, check out:
- Best Places To Buy A House In Texas
- Richest Cities In Texas
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Texas
- Safest Places In Texas
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Texas
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockwall County | 110,631 | $121,303 | $418,509 |
| 2 | Collin County | 1,079,153 | $113,255 | $508,368 |
| 3 | Comal County | 165,201 | $93,744 | $450,175 |
| 4 | Williamson County | 617,396 | $102,851 | $430,790 |
| 5 | Denton County | 914,870 | $104,180 | $452,848 |
| 6 | Somervell County | 9,337 | $87,899 | $376,510 |
| 7 | Kendall County | 45,376 | $104,196 | $580,678 |
| 8 | Wilson County | 50,381 | $89,708 | $407,043 |
| 9 | Randall County | 141,489 | $78,038 | $242,374 |
| 10 | Armstrong County | 1,912 | $70,417 | $185,741 |
| 11 | Parker County | 151,188 | $95,721 | $421,065 |
| 12 | Fayette County | 24,564 | $72,881 | $437,169 |
| 13 | Fort Bend County | 832,607 | $109,987 | $376,638 |
| 14 | Borden County | 686 | $80,625 | $130,654 |
| 15 | Guadalupe County | 173,828 | $88,111 | $322,032 |
| 16 | Travis County | 1,289,054 | $92,731 | $507,742 |
| 17 | Washington County | 35,807 | $70,043 | $331,504 |
| 18 | Mason County | 3,959 | $77,583 | $291,445 |
| 19 | Blanco County | 11,608 | $79,717 | $577,316 |
| 20 | Carson County | 5,801 | $83,199 | $134,380 |
| 21 | Montgomery County | 629,989 | $95,946 | $347,339 |
| 22 | Brazoria County | 374,600 | $91,972 | $314,897 |
| 23 | Medina County | 51,432 | $73,060 | $299,689 |
| 24 | Austin County | 30,406 | $73,556 | $353,733 |
| 25 | Ellis County | 195,509 | $93,248 | $352,386 |
| 26 | Hays County | 245,351 | $79,990 | $409,545 |
| 27 | Clay County | 10,290 | $75,227 | $176,524 |
| 28 | Hood County | 62,459 | $80,013 | $363,193 |
| 29 | Kaufman County | 149,773 | $84,075 | $323,281 |
| 30 | Wise County | 70,062 | $85,385 | $376,171 |
| 31 | Burnet County | 49,684 | $71,482 | $456,731 |
| 32 | Gillespie County | 26,953 | $70,162 | $528,707 |
| 33 | Lampasas County | 21,829 | $73,269 | $291,494 |
| 34 | Midland County | 169,393 | $90,123 | $291,749 |
| 35 | Johnson County | 182,690 | $77,058 | $319,900 |
| 36 | Galveston County | 350,801 | $83,913 | $317,680 |
| 37 | Roberts County | 764 | $62,667 | $205,887 |
| 38 | Mills County | 4,501 | $59,315 | $182,553 |
| 39 | Lavaca County | 20,379 | $58,530 | $275,875 |
| 40 | Kerr County | 52,810 | $66,713 | $361,578 |
| 41 | Glasscock County | 1,068 | $112,188 | $248,875 |
| 42 | Terrell County | 862 | $52,813 | $102,034 |
| 43 | Llano County | 21,637 | $64,241 | $484,545 |
| 44 | Lee County | 17,543 | $66,448 | $337,870 |
| 45 | Archer County | 8,649 | $69,954 | $207,452 |
| 46 | Franklin County | 10,445 | $67,915 | $288,369 |
| 47 | Grayson County | 137,008 | $66,608 | $274,396 |
| 48 | Rains County | 12,257 | $60,291 | $284,604 |
| 49 | Tom Green County | 119,276 | $67,215 | $220,271 |
| 50 | Hartley County | 5,369 | $78,065 | $232,191 |
| 51 | Cooke County | 41,860 | $66,374 | $293,557 |
| 52 | Burleson County | 17,958 | $71,745 | $237,885 |
| 53 | Tarrant County | 2,113,854 | $78,872 | $323,680 |
| 54 | Bandera County | 21,182 | $70,965 | $351,662 |
| 55 | Calhoun County | 20,127 | $62,267 | $187,665 |
| 56 | Kimble County | 4,316 | $62,386 | $222,273 |
| 57 | Chambers County | 47,037 | $106,103 | $323,479 |
| 58 | Taylor County | 143,029 | $61,806 | $192,855 |
| 59 | Sterling County | 1,392 | $63,558 | $151,157 |
| 60 | Coryell County | 82,927 | $63,281 | $223,742 |
| 61 | Kent County | 635 | $68,553 | $95,796 |
| 62 | Hardin County | 56,576 | $70,164 | $214,324 |
| 63 | Goliad County | 7,092 | $58,125 | $252,453 |
| 64 | Irion County | 1,561 | $54,708 | $233,867 |
| 65 | Fannin County | 36,052 | $65,835 | $255,564 |
| 66 | Smith County | 234,667 | $69,053 | $267,587 |
| 67 | Hemphill County | 3,371 | $67,798 | $161,736 |
| 68 | Bosque County | 18,404 | $63,868 | $218,318 |
| 69 | Bastrop County | 98,435 | $80,151 | $366,386 |
| 70 | Oldham County | 2,171 | $71,103 | $156,735 |
| 71 | Wood County | 45,341 | $61,748 | $270,889 |
| 72 | Hunt County | 101,596 | $66,885 | $282,596 |
| 73 | Callahan County | 13,869 | $63,906 | $159,492 |
| 74 | Colorado County | 20,582 | $63,352 | $237,662 |
| 75 | Montague County | 20,197 | $63,336 | $214,254 |
| 76 | Brewster County | 9,454 | $47,747 | $227,593 |
| 77 | Freestone County | 19,599 | $55,902 | $213,677 |
| 78 | Delta County | 5,278 | $68,491 | $172,268 |
| 79 | Orange County | 84,761 | $71,910 | $169,184 |
| 80 | Aransas County | 24,048 | $58,168 | $328,292 |
| 81 | Waller County | 57,463 | $71,643 | $349,183 |
| 82 | Van Zandt County | 60,053 | $62,334 | $267,431 |
| 83 | Bell County | 372,821 | $62,858 | $255,051 |
| 84 | Sherman County | 2,414 | $66,169 | $126,281 |
| 85 | Brazos County | 234,548 | $57,562 | $297,269 |
| 86 | Hamilton County | 8,244 | $54,890 | $197,825 |
| 87 | Fisher County | 3,680 | $60,461 | $86,799 |
| 88 | Upshur County | 41,261 | $60,456 | $234,008 |
| 89 | Shackelford County | 3,134 | $60,924 | $139,151 |
| 90 | Lubbock County | 311,509 | $61,911 | $206,421 |
| 91 | Madison County | 13,556 | $65,768 | $264,125 |
| 92 | Bexar County | 2,014,059 | $67,275 | $265,393 |
| 93 | Baylor County | 3,475 | $52,716 | $88,547 |
| 94 | Mclennan County | 261,090 | $59,781 | $256,638 |
| 95 | Gregg County | 124,245 | $63,811 | $212,707 |
| 96 | Reagan County | 3,308 | $70,319 | $162,238 |
| 97 | Caldwell County | 46,141 | $66,779 | $308,559 |
| 98 | Young County | 17,903 | $65,565 | $156,120 |
| 99 | Motley County | 1,223 | $66,528 | $80,588 |
| 100 | Crane County | 4,636 | $71,364 | $169,458 |