3 Houston-area suburbs recognized as America’s best mid-sized cities, study says

Three communities outlying the city of Houston have ranked among the best mid-sized cities in the nation, according to a study.

A study conducted by SmartAsset, a financial technology company, reports Houston suburbs League City, Pearland and Sugar Land are among the most livable mid-sized cities in the U.S.

According to SmartAsset, the study was performed to determine more affordable and less crowded communities which may be desirable.

“For Americans seeking a more affordable and less crowded alternative to the bustle of a big city but not interested in very small towns, a mid-sized city might be the best place to put down roots,” the site says. “But not all of them are equally suited to meet the needs of their inhabitants. That’s why SmartAsset crunched the numbers on a variety of financial factors to find the mid-sized cities that are the most livable.”

SmartAsset says it considered data for 227 cities across the following eight metrics: Gini coefficient, four-year home value change, median monthly housing costs, poverty rate, median household income, July 2020 unemployment rate, percentage of residents without health insurance and average commute time.

The Houston-area suburbs are three of nine mid-sized cities recognized in Texas.

Here is how they scored, according to SmartAsset:

League City

Rank: 16

Change in Median Home Value: 22.03%

Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,580

Poverty Rate: 1.6%

Median Household-income: $115,650

July 2020 Unemployment Rate: 9.3%

Pearland

Rank: 30

Change in Median Home Value: 29.69%

Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,716

Poverty Rate: 3.7%

Median Household-income: $106,757

July 2020 Unemployment Rate: 9.1%

Sugar Land

Rank: 44

Change in Median Home Value: 19.54%

Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,669

Poverty Rate: 3.5

Median Household-income: $127,598

July 2020 Unemployment Rate: 8.4%