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Houston Climbs to No. 9 in New Ranking of Best Cities in America

Published Jun 07, 2023 by Brina Morales

Houston Skyline cropped

Houston has once again climbed the rankings of this year's list of America's Best Cities to No. 9 from No. 11 last year, drawing praise for its culture, diversity, restaurant scene and number of Fortune 500 headquarters.

The annual report by Resonance Consultancy, an international consulting firm, describes Houston as "America's stealthy powerhouse on the rise," pointing to the city's strong domestic and international migration, international festivals, and ethnically diverse population and food scene. According to the Partnership's latest Global Houston report, international migration surged in 2022, accounting for the largest share of the region's population growth.

Houston has steadily climbed the America's Best Cities rankings over recent years. In 2022, it ranked 11th compared to 17th in 2021. The latest report also highlights how Houston is reclaiming its position as Space City by investing in the future of aerospace. One of those key investments and economic development projects is the Houston Spaceport, one of only 10 FAA-licensed commercial spaceports in the U.S., and the only one in an urban location, just outside of downtown. According to the report, tenants at the spaceport have been awarded nearly $4 billion in new contracts. The spaceport's three major anchor tenants are Collins Aerospace, Axiom Space and Intuitive Machines. 

The report also applauded Houston's Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Earnings and ranked the city fourth for Fortune 500 companies. Fortune recently released its 2023 Fortune 500 list, ranking Texas as the leading state with the most Fortune 500 headquarters. The greater Houston metro area has the second-largest hub of Fortune 500 headquarters with a total of 25.

Resonance also featured restaurants that opened post-pandemic such as Hamsa, Casa Nomad and Urbe. In 2022, the greater Houston area received 10 semifinalist nominations for the James Beard Awards. Recently, Houston Chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter and owner of Street to Kitchen won Best Chef in the Texas category in this year's James Beard Awards.

Learn more about why companies and individuals are choosing to move to Houston

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