Recognition and Rankings

Nationally recognized community

The College Station-Bryan area has received national recognition in a variety of economic and social categories:

Retirement

Top 10 Cities For Retirees - Realtor.com (2024)
No. 8, 10 Places to Retire - Blond & Balanced (2024)
30 Southern Hidden Gem Cities Perfect for Retirees - Yahoo Finance (2024)
Top 25 U.S. Cities for Retirement - Forbes (2022)

Growth

No. 6, Top 25 U-Haul U.S. Growth Cities - U-Haul (2024)
No. 3, America’s Next Boom Towns - 24/7 Wall St. (2024)
No. 3, U.S. Cities with the Highest Growth of Homeowners Under 25 - MoneyGeek (2024)

No. 4, U.S. Cities with the Highest Growth of Homeowners 25-44- MoneyGeek (2024)
No. 4, U.S. Cities Where Gen Z is Moving - Smart Asset (2023) - SmartAsset (2023)
No. 18, Best Housing Markets for Growth and Stability - SmartAsset (2023)
No. 12, Fastest-Growing Cities for Small Business - OpenPhone (2022)
Fastest Growing Cities Everyone Wants To Move To - Simplemost (2021)
No. 20, Fastest-Growing Cities in U.S. - WalletHub (2020)
No. 1, Growth Cities in Texas - U-Haul (2022)
No. 7, Growth Cities in Texas - U-Haul (2022)

Economy

No. 5, Best Performing Large Metros in Texas - Milken Institute (2025)
No. 23, Best U.S. Places for Cost of Living – Livability (2025)
No. 21, America’s Most Dynamic Metropolitans - Heartland Forward (2024)
No. 4, Top 10 Heartland Metros - Heartland Forward (2024)

No. 3, Best U.S. Cities for Fresh College Graduates - Knowinsiders (2024)
No. 7, College Markets Great for Cash Flow - BiggerPockets.com (2024)
No. 20, Most Dynamic Metros in the U.S.-Heartland Forward (2024)
No. 4, Most Dynamic Metros in Texas - Heartland Forward (2024)
Second Fastest-Growing Domestic Destination for U.S. Travelers - TripAdvisor (2024)
No. 9, Affordable Places to Live in Texas - TheTravel.com (2024)
No. 2, Most Dynamic Small Metros in Texas - Heartland Forward (2022)
No. 9, U.S. Cities Growing Fastest Before the Pandemic - 247 WallSt (2022)
No. 17, Best Housing Markets in U.S. for Growth, Stability - Smart Asset (2022)
No. 21, Small U.S. Cities Flourishing During COVID-19 - MSN (2021)
No. 1, Best-Performing Small Cities in Texas - Milken Institute (2021)
No. 17, Most Dynamic U.S. College Towns - Point2Homes (2021)
No. 21, Best-Performing Small Cities in America - Milken Institute (2021)
No. 6, Least-Tenured Homeowners in U.S.- Inman (2020)
The 12 Texas cities everyone is the country is moving to - Business Insider (2020)

Quality of Life

No. 1, Top College Towns in Texas – RentCafe (2025)
No. 26, Best U.S. Cities to Raise a Family – Niche (2025)
Top 5 Cities For Gen Z Americans – Allyoucanfindbiz (2025)

No. 1, Top College Towns in Texas – RentCafe (2025)
No. 15, Top College Towns in the U.S. – RentCafe (2025)
No. 12, Best U.S. Places for Education – Livability (2025)
No. 23, Best U.S. Places for Cost of Living – Livability (2025)
No. 26, Best U.S. Places to Live – Livability (2025)
No. 5, Best Texas Places to Live – Livability (2025)
No. 33, Best U.S. Places to Live – Niche (2025)
No. 6, Best Texas Places to Live – Niche (2025)
No. 26, Best U.S. Places for Safety – Livability (2025)
No. 5, Best Texas Places for Safety – Livability (2025)
No. 26, Best U.S. Cities to Raise a Family – Niche (2025)
No. 5, Best Texas Cities to Raise a Family – Niche (2025)
Top 5 Cities For Gen Z Americans – Allyoucanfindbiz (2025)
No. 2, Safe & Affordable Texas Cities for Families – The Network Journal (2024)
No. 4, America’s Best Small College Towns – WalletHub (2024)
No. 19, Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southwest – Livability (2024)
No. 9, 10 Best Places to Live In Texas – ReallyList (2024)
No.1, Safest and Cheapest Places To Live For a Family of Four in the US – gobankingrates.com (2024)
No.3, Top U.S. Cities for Fresh Graduates – Knowinsiders.com (2024)
No. 24, Best Cities to Live in America - Niche.com (2024)
No. 4, Best Cities to Live in Texas - Niche.com (2024)
No. 8, Cities with the Best Public Schools in America - Niche.com (2024)
No. 3, Cities with the Best Public Schools in Texas - Niche.com (2024)
No. 19, Best Cities to Raise a Family in America - Niche.com (2024)
No. 5, Best Cities to Raise a Family in Texas - Niche.com (2024)
No. 9, Best College Towns in the U.S. - RentCafe (2024)
No. 5, Best Performing Cities in Texas - Milken Institute (2024)
No. 4, Best Small College Towns in America - WalletHub (2023)
No. 3, Top College Towns in the U.S. - BankRate (2023)
No. 5, Best Cities to Raise a Family in Texas - Niche (2023)
No. 25, Best Cities to Raise a Family in America - Niche (2023)
No. 3, Cities With the Best Public Schools in Texas - Niche (2023)
No. 14, Cities With the Best Public Schools in America - Niche (2023)
No. 5, Best Cities to Live in Texas - Niche (2023)
No. 27, Best Cities to Live in America - Niche (2023)
10 Hidden Gems You Need to Visit in the United States - Pheabs (2023)
No. 1, The Best Texas Cities for Young Families - Insurify (2022)
No. 5, The Best U.S. Cities for Young Families - Insurify (2022)
No. 15, Safest Cities in America - SmartAsset (2022)
No. 14, Cities with the Best Public Schools in America - Niche (2022)
No. 22, Best Cities To Raise a Family in America - Niche (2022)
No. 27, Best Cities to Live in America - Niche (2022)
No. 10, America's Coolest College Towns - The Street (2022)
No. 11, The South's Best College Towns - Southern Living (2021)
10 Best Texas Cities to Work In - Best Colleges (2022)
Top 10 Christmas Towns in Texas - MommyPoppins (2021)
No. 10, Best College Towns & Cities in America -WalletHub (2021)
12 Best Places to Live in Texas - Blogarama (2021)
No. 3, Best Small Cities in Texas - BestCities.org (2021)
No. 25, Best Cities in America to Raise a Family - Stacker (2021)
No. 12, Best Public Schools in America - Niche (2021)
No. 24, Nations Top 25 Places to Live - Niche (2021)
No. 21, Best Cities to Raise a Family - Niche (2021)
No. 6, Best Small College Towns in America - WalletHub (2020)
No. 15, Best Public Schools in America - Niche.com (2020)
No. 4, Best Cities in Texas to Live - Livability.com (2020)
No. 25, Best Cities in America to Raise a Family - Niche.com (2020)
No. 26, Best Cities to Live in America - Niche.com (2020)