Say anything about Austin is better than San Antonio Think Austin is better? Then why are you here? Credit: Shutterstock / Roschetzky Photography

Austin might be losing its cool factor. Or so a recent list suggests.

This year, Texas’ capital city slid to No. 40 on U.S. News and World Report‘s annual Best Places to Live ranking, a drastically lower spot than in years past. The metro occupied the No. 1 spot between 2017 and 2019, and it was in the top 10 from 2016 through 2021.

Last year marked the first time since 2016 that Austin failed to make the list’s top 10. It landed at No. 14.

U.S. News and World Report compiles its rankings using an array of metrics, including quality of life and how comfortably the average resident can afford to live within their means. Affordability played into Austin’s slip in the latest rankings. When it came to value, the city only scored a 6 on a scale of 10.

For reference, the average monthly rent in Austin is $1,799, according to online rental marketplace RentCafe. In San Antonio, the average monthly rent is a comparatively lower $1,289. U.S. News and World Report gave San Antonio a 6.4 score on value.

Despite Austin’s fall from grace, it still ranked as the list’s best place to live in the Lone Star State. Ranked at No. 102 overall, San Antonio came in second in the state.

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This article appears in May 17-30, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...