economy
Houston Rankings
Published on 04/09/2025
Houston's Top Rankings
FASTEST GROWING U.S. COUNTY 2024 – HARRIS
U.S. Census via Houston Business Journal – March 2025
BEST HOSPITAL IN TEXAS – HOUSTON METHODIST
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
HOTTEST ZIP CODES—CYPRESS, TX 77433
Opendoor – January 2024
TOP RELOCATION DESTINATION IN US (2023)
Penske Truck Rental (via Houston Chronicle) – April 2024
BEST PLACE FOR FOREIGN BUSINESS
Financial Times – November 2023
BEST FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR – HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO
Academy of Country Music (via Houston Chronicle) – June 2023
TOP TEXAS MARKET FOR LIFE SCIENCE TALENT
CBRE (via Houston Business Journal) – June 2023
MOST ACTIVE PLACES FOR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS (2013 TO 2022)
StorageCafe (via Houston Chronicle) – May 2023
#2 Rankings
MOST DIVERSE MAJOR U.S. CITY FOR 2025
WalletHub via CultureMap – March 2025
SECOND-BEST CITY TO LIVE IN AMERICA – THE WOODLANDS
Niche.com (via KHOU) – March 2025
TOP NATIONAL RENT AFFORDABILITY
Redfin via Houston Public Media – January 2025
TOP METROS IN TEXAS FOR PEOPLE ON THE MOVE IN 2024
U-Haul Via Houston Business Journal – January 2025
AMONG TOP REHABILITATION HOSPITALS IN NATION FOR 2024-25 – TIRR MEMORIAL HERMANN
U.S. News & World Report – January 2025
BEST HOSPITALS FOR PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY & NEUROSURGERY – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
LOWEST HOUSING COST
Cost of Living Index – March 2024
HOTTEST ZIP CODES—KATY, TX 77493
Opendoor – January 2024
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
Business Facilities – August 2023
U.S. METRO HOME TO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES
Fortune (via Houston Chronicle) – June 2023
FASTEST GROWING U.S. METRO
U.S. Census Bureau – May 2023
#3 Rankings
BEST HOSPITALS FOR NEONATOLOGY – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
LOWEST COST OF LIVING
Cost of Living Index – March 2024
HOTTEST SHORT-TERM RENTAL CITIES IN THE U.S.
AirDNA (via Houston Chronicle) – June 2023
BEST U.S. CITIES FOR BIRDWATCHING
Lawn Love (via CultureMap) – June 2023
TOP METRO BY NEW & EXPANDED CORPORATE FACILITIES
Site Selection Magazine – March 2023
MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK FOR NEW HOMES
Homebay.com (via Culture Map) – August 2022
#4 Rankings
PREMIER’S 100 TOP HOSPITALS 2025 – HOUSTON METHODIST THE WOODLANDS
The Houston Business Journal – April 2025
CITIES WITH THE MOST BUSINESSES OPENING VS. CLOSING
USA Today Blueprint – August 2024
BEST HOSPITAL IN TEXAS – BAYLOR ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
EMERGING STARTUP ECOSYSTEMS IN NORTH AMERICA
Startup Genome – June 2023
BEST U.S. CITIES – RESTAURANTS
Resonance Consultancy (via The Houston Business Journal) – June 2023
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT’S 2022 BEST ONLINE PROGRAMS MBA RANKINGS- RICE UNIVERSITY
The Princeton Review—May 2023
#5 Rankings
PREMIER’S 100 TOP HOSPITALS 2025 – HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK
The Houston Business Journal – April 2024
BEST HOSPITAL IN TEXAS – MEMORIAL HERMANN
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
BEST BARBECUE CITIES IN THE US (2023)
LawnStarter (via San Antonio Current) – June 2023
U.S. CITIES WITH MOST MILLIONAIRES
New World Wealth and Henley & Partners (via The Houston Chronicle) – February 2023
#6 Rankings
PREMIER’S 100 TOP HOSPITALS 2025 – HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND
The Houston Business Journal – July 2024
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS FOR CANCER – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
MOST VALUABLE SPORTS CITY
OLBG (via Houston Business Journal) – April 2023
#7 Rankings
BEST U.S. CITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO LIVE
SumUp (Via InnovationMap) – October 2024
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS FOR UROLOGY – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS FOR GASTROENTEROLOGY & GI SURGERY– TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
WHERE RETIREES ARE MOVING
SmartAsset – May 2024
LEAST EXPENSIVE CITIES
GoBankingRates – February 2024
#8 Rankings
PREMIER’S 100 TOP HOSPITALS 2025 – HOUSTON METHODIST WEST
The Houston Business Journal – April 2025
BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS FOR ORTHOPEDICS – TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
U.S. News & World Report – July 2024
BEST CITY FOR CHILD-FRIENDLY VACATIONS
Lawn Love (via FOX 26 Houston) – January 2023
#9 Rankings
BEST TECH HUB IN THE SOUTH
CommercialCafe via CultureMap – March 2025
TOP U.S. METROPOLITAN AREAS FOR PEOPLE ON THE MOVE IN 2024
U-Haul Via Houston Business Journal – August 2024
BEST US CITIES TO START A BUSINESS
USA Today Blueprint – August 2024
STRONG STARTER AMONGST TOP 25 EMERGING STARTUP ECOSYSTEMS
Startup Genome – June 2023
BEST U.S. CITIES
Resonance Consultancy (via The Houston Business Journal) – June 2023
#10 Rankings
AMERICA’S TOP 10 BEST CITIES
Resonance Consultancy (via ABC 13) – June 2024
TOP METRO AREAS FOR HOUSING GROWTH AND STABILITY
Smart Asset (via Houston Chronicle) – April 2023
TOP 10 LIFE SCIENCES MARKETS IN THE U.S.
Commercial Café (via InnovationMap)—July 2022
Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research
Margaret Barrientos
Research Analyst
mbarrientos@houston.org
#2
Most Diverse Major U.S. City (2025)
#4
Most Businesses Opening vs. Closing (2025)
#1
Fastest Growing U.S. County 2024 – Harris (2025)
