(NEXSTAR) — If you were given $500 plus lodging to go out in any Texas city for one night — which would you pick? While the Lone Star State is no slouch in the “fun” department, some Texas cities are a little more prepped for a night on the town than others.
Recently, personal finance resource WalletHub compared 182 cities across 65 different metrics, including entertainment/recreation, nightlife/parties and costs. Which was the most fun city in America?
Well, there should be little surprise that world-famous adult playground Las Vegas topped WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” list. With a total “fun” score of 73.78 out of 100, Sin City boasts the most offerings for nightlife and entertainment — even if the cost isn’t necessarily the cheapest.
It turns out two Texas cities made WalletHub’s top 10: Austin ranked no. 6, with a total score of 54.33 and Houston ranked no. 9, with a total score of 51.64. While Austin outranked Houston in the areas of nightlife/parties and entertainment/recreation, Houston’s cost for doing things was much lower. Per WalletHub’s analysis, Houston ranked 25th nationally for lowest cost, while Austin came in at 50.
While these two Texas cities rank close on WalletHub’s list, we turned to the Houston and Austin subreddits to learn how real Texans feel about both cities. Based on these comments, which do you agree with?
- “There is a reason people vacation in Austin and not Houston.”
- “Everything Austin has as far as culture goes, Houston has too and more.”
- “Houston gets a bad rap for being ugly and sprawling and terrible flooding and awful traffic (which is true), but just because Austin looks cooler and has better outdoor activities nearby doesn’t mean Houston is terrible.”
- “Let me put it this way — I have always said I wish Austin could be the city and Houston the people.”
Recently, real estate experts at Redfin compared Houston and Austin on a variety of factors, including housing, cost of living and food/culture. In terms of the last metric, here’s some of what Redfin found.
As reported by KXAN News’ Kelsey Thompson, in terms of food, Austin is reliable for offerings like Tex-Mex and barbecue, while Houston offers a much more diverse culinary experience. Houston’s Asiatown area houses a huge mix of Asian restaurants, while other areas offer a plethora of soul food restaurants and an array of Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants.
Meanwhile, Austin’s entertainment scene is perhaps a little more diverse in terms of music (think South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, 6th Street), while Houston’s entertainment scene leans more heavily on “higher” art, like museums and theater.
As far as other Texas cities go, San Antonio was the next-highest ranked city, coming in at no. 25 with a score of 45.59 out of 100. Texas’ lowest-ranked city was Brownsville, ranked at no. 172, with a fun score of 22.94.
To read the full list of WalletHub’s Most Fun Cities in the U.S. 2024, visit WalletHub.
KXAN News’ Kelsey Thompson contributed to this report.
