Houston is among the best cities in the world, according to World’s Best Cities’ 2024 ranking of the most desirable cities planet wide.
The publication analyzed over 270 cities around the world based on three main pillars: livability (including metrics like walkability, bikeability, landmarks, parks and recreation, museums and higher education options) lovability (including culture, nightlife, restaurants, shopping, attractions and internet searches) and prosperity (including educational attainment, labor force participation, gross domestic product, or GDP, poverty rates, etc.).
Houston ranked at No. 66 overall, making it the 15th-best U.S. city on the list. The metro previously ranked at No. 9 on the publication’s 2023 ranking of the best cities in America.
“Austin may get the attention, but the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston,” World’s Best Cities’ report reads. “In the past year, immigration, both domestic and international, has swelled the metro population to above seven million.”
But what makes Houston so great compared to other cities worldwide? For one, the metro is one of the most ethnically diverse in the U.S., with over 145 languages spoken at home. Houston’s cultural diversity is further boosted by its festivals, from international film festivals to Juneteenth celebrations.
In addition to Houston’s culture, the city is known for its ongoing evolution as the Space City thanks to the Houston Spaceport.
Houston also ranked ninth in the world for GDP, cementing the city’s reputation for economic prosperity.