This county was named the best to live in Texas in 2025. And no, it's not Travis County.
It's not home to any of Texas' biggest cities — not Austin, not Houston, not San Antonio or Dallas — but it sits just a short drive away, quietly climbing the charts in quality of life, family-friendliness, and opportunity.
The Niche list evaluated Texas' counties based on nearly a dozen factors, including public school ratings, cost of living, job opportunities and access to amenities. Each category was assigned a letter grade using data from the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and other sources.
Here's how the top Lone Star State's counties stacked up and why.
Collin County
Fort Bend County
Rockwall County
Denton County
Travis County
Williamson County
Comal County
Kendall County
Lubbock County
Brewster County
Collin County — home to booming cities like Frisco, Plano, and McKinney — has become one of the most rapidly developing regions in the United States, even claiming the nation's fastest-growing city: Princeton.
Fueled by a surge in population, the county has attracted major investments. The Dallas Cowboys relocated their world headquarters to Frisco, and Universal Studios is developing a first-of-its-kind theme park designed specifically for families.
Collin County also boasts one of the top-rated public school districts in Texas and ranks as the healthiest county in the state, according to Niche, which awarded the county an overall grade of A+.
Here's how the county scored across key categories:
Public Schools: A+
Good for Families: A+
Jobs: A+
Health & Fitness: A+
Diversity: A
Nightlife: A-
Housing: B+
Outdoor Activities: B+
Commute: B
Weather: B
Cost of Living: C+
Despite a lower mark for cost of living, Collin County continues to thrive as one of the most sought-after places to live, work, and raise a family in Texas.
A four-year resident shared their experience living in Collin County.
"My experience has been very satisfying and gratifying compared to living near downtown Dallas and commuting to and from downtown Dallas," the user wrote. "Collin County is much more spacious and much more manicured that some places in Dallas. There seems to be many public & private schools available. It's the dream suburbia lifestyle that many find desirable. I highly recommend branching out into Collin County to start a family or even start a business."
Niche ranked Texas' counties based on how livable they are, using data from the U.S. Census and other reliable sources. The goal was to measure the overall quality of life in each area by looking at factors that matter most to residents.
These included things like:
Higher education rate: How many people have a college degree.
Cost of living: How affordable it is to live there.
Housing: Home values, property taxes, and local school quality.
Public schools: Based on school ratings and student population.
Diversity: Ethnic, age, and income diversity.
Jobs: Employment rates, job growth, and income stability.
Health & fitness: Access to healthcare and community health statistics.
Outdoor activities & weather: Access to parks and good weather.
Commute times: How long it typically takes to get to work.
Nightlife: Access to restaurants, bars, and entertainment.
Niche also considered feedback from people who lived in each county to help shape the rankings.
Each category was assigned a letter grade, and these grades were combined to determine an overall score for each county.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Which county is the best to live in Texas? Here's what Niche says
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