Houston Soars in Best Cities Rankings

The 2024 edition of the America’s Best Cities report is not Houston’s first trip to the upper end of the chart. Last year, it finished ninth and in 2022, it ranked 11th. But a lot has happened lately – particularly in the past year – to maintain the community’s placement on the upper rungs. Houston’s population has risen to about 7 million people of varied ethnicity with more than 145 languages spoken at home, according to the latest census according to the report. Culture “is a testament to the city’s prism of festivals, from international film to massive Juneteenth celebrations,” the report continues. “Next year, the city welcomes America’s first Ismaili Center, commissioned by His Highness the Aga Khan.” Describing the city’s dining scene as “underappreciated,” the Best Cities report calls attention to the varied menu items in Houston eateries — cuisine ranging from “Southern Soul and barbeque with Mexican that’s then seasoned with global flavoring.” So tasty are the culinary offerings around Houston that the Texas city beat out such gustatory Meccas as San Francisco, Las Vegas and Miami in the dining subcategory.