Best Cities for Outdoor Enthusiasts in Texas
Texas ranks #45 of 50 for outdoor enthusiasts, with a outdoor enthusiasts score of 26.6. Cedar Park is its best city for outdoor enthusiasts at 71.9.
- Texas, all states
- #45 of 50
- Population
- 78,301
What Outdoor Enthusiasts Should Know About Texas
Texas ranks #45 out of 50 for outdoor enthusiasts, which may surprise given its reputation. The outdoor access score of 5/100 indicates limited public outdoor infrastructure compared to western and northeastern states. At just 1.8% public land, access to wilderness requires more effort — but state and local parks fill some of the gap.
Environmental quality matters when you spend significant time outdoors. Texas's environment score of 41/100 is middling — air quality (AQI: 43) is moderate, though environmental policy could be stronger. Natural disaster risk is low, meaning fewer disruptions to outdoor plans.
The practical side: average living costs (index: 97.1) keep outdoor lifestyles manageable. Safety (62/100) is strong — important for solo hikers and those exploring remote areas, and the overall health infrastructure (38/100) is adequate, though access to specialized sports medicine may be limited outside metros.
All 74 Cities Ranked for Outdoor Enthusiasts
| # City | Grade | Outdoor Enthusiasts score | Overall | Environment | Safety | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Cedar Park | A | 71.9 | 66.3 | 84 | 92 | 78,301 |
| 2Round Rock | A | 71.3 | 64.9 | 84 | 88 | 127,786 |
| 3Georgetown | A | 70.8 | 63.4 | 84 | 92 | 85,999 |
| 4College Station | C+ | 69.5 | 54.5 | 78 | 92 | 124,570 |
| 5Flower Mound | A+ | 67.0 | 67.4 | 58 | 100 | 78,389 |
| 6Leander | A | 66.9 | 65.2 | 84 | — | 74,067 |
| 7Frisco | A | 66.0 | 66.6 | 55 | 95 | 219,304 |
| 8San Angelo | C+ | 66.0 | 54.9 | 89 | 73 | 99,674 |
| 9McKinney | A | 65.7 | 65.3 | 55 | 95 | 210,600 |
| 10Carrollton | B+ | 65.7 | 62.7 | 58 | 93 | 133,740 |
| 11Allen | A | 65.6 | 63.3 | 55 | 97 | 110,265 |
| 12Burleson | B | 65.5 | 58.7 | 71 | 92 | 52,918 |
| 13Midland | B | 65.2 | 56.9 | 82 | 73 | 136,640 |
| 14Bryan | C+ | 65.2 | 54.7 | 78 | 81 | 87,939 |
| 15Plano | A | 65.0 | 62.9 | 55 | 89 | 290,594 |
| 16Kyle | B+ | 64.6 | 60.7 | 63 | 92 | 56,823 |
| 17Wylie | B+ | 64.2 | 62.6 | 55 | 97 | 60,334 |
| 18Richardson | B+ | 63.6 | 62.7 | 46 | 87 | 118,731 |
| 19Tyler | C+ | 63.5 | 53.8 | 84 | 71 | 109,215 |
| 20Wichita Falls | C+ | 62.8 | 52.6 | 76 | 68 | 102,581 |
| 21Mansfield | A | 62.6 | 63.4 | 46 | 91 | 77,510 |
| 22Sugar Land | A | 62.6 | 63.0 | 37 | 93 | 110,016 |
| 23League City | B+ | 62.6 | 62.2 | 40 | 95 | 116,215 |
| 24Lewisville | B+ | 62.6 | 61.0 | 58 | 83 | 131,080 |
| 25Pflugerville | B+ | 62.5 | 62.3 | 53 | 83 | 65,971 |
| 26Denton | B | 61.9 | 57.3 | 58 | 81 | 152,866 |
| 27New Braunfels | B+ | 61.7 | 60.0 | 47 | 84 | 104,643 |
| 28Pearland | B+ | 61.7 | 59.5 | 48 | 93 | 127,514 |
| 29Odessa | C+ | 61.1 | 52.8 | 65 | 80 | 115,322 |
| 30Grapevine | B+ | 60.6 | 60.6 | 46 | 84 | 51,139 |
| 31Longview | C | 60.2 | 51.1 | 76 | 70 | 82,923 |
| 32Irving | B | 60.0 | 57.3 | 46 | 77 | 256,492 |
| 33Laredo | C | 59.7 | 50.3 | 68 | 79 | 257,619 |
| 34Rowlett | B+ | 59.6 | 59.4 | 46 | 88 | 65,463 |
| 35North Richland Hills | B | 59.6 | 57.4 | 46 | 84 | 70,780 |
| 36Euless | B | 59.4 | 55.8 | 46 | 84 | 60,421 |
| 37Conroe | B | 59.1 | 56.2 | 49 | 80 | 102,360 |
| 38Temple | C+ | 58.8 | 52.5 | 69 | 70 | 89,602 |
| 39San Marcos | C | 58.8 | 51.4 | 63 | 66 | 70,897 |
| 40The Woodlands | A | 58.7 | 63.6 | 49 | — | 121,002 |
| 41El Paso | C | 58.6 | 52.3 | 47 | 79 | 680,130 |
| 42Austin | B | 58.4 | 58.1 | 53 | 58 | 979,539 |
| 43Waco | C | 58.4 | 50.2 | 68 | 68 | 143,570 |
| 44Garland | C+ | 57.9 | 54.5 | 46 | 83 | 246,844 |
| 45Amarillo | C+ | 57.5 | 52.5 | 66 | 54 | 201,885 |
| 46Grand Prairie | C+ | 57.0 | 54.0 | 46 | 84 | 201,883 |
| 47Missouri City | C+ | 56.7 | 54.4 | 37 | 90 | 76,558 |
| 48McAllen | C+ | 56.6 | 52.6 | 36 | 89 | 145,385 |
| 49Mission | C | 56.0 | 50.7 | 36 | 90 | 87,038 |
| 50Abilene | C | 55.8 | 52.0 | 45 | 66 | 128,053 |
| 51Little Elm | B | 55.3 | 56.7 | 58 | — | 54,820 |
| 52Fort Worth | C+ | 55.3 | 54.2 | 46 | 67 | 963,194 |
| 53Edinburg | C | 54.7 | 49.8 | 36 | 83 | 104,550 |
| 54Victoria | C | 54.6 | 50.5 | 47 | 70 | 65,625 |
| 55Lubbock | C | 54.4 | 50.2 | 61 | 45 | 264,814 |
| 56Killeen | D | 54.2 | 46.1 | 69 | 63 | 158,159 |
| 57Texas City | C | 54.0 | 52.3 | 40 | 82 | 55,364 |
| 58DeSoto | C | 53.6 | 52.0 | 46 | 77 | 56,211 |
| 59Arlington | C | 53.6 | 51.2 | 46 | 67 | 397,742 |
| 60Pharr | D | 51.9 | 45.1 | 36 | 85 | 80,333 |
| 61Dallas | C | 50.9 | 50.7 | 46 | 48 | 1,307,930 |
| 62San Antonio | C | 50.9 | 49.8 | 45 | 45 | 1,479,835 |
| 63Mesquite | C | 50.7 | 49.2 | 46 | 62 | 149,299 |
| 64Harlingen | D | 50.5 | 47.6 | 26 | 76 | 72,087 |
| 65Galveston | D | 50.3 | 48.2 | 40 | 58 | 53,424 |
| 66Brownsville | D | 47.1 | 42.7 | 26 | 70 | 189,177 |
| 67Pasadena | D | 45.9 | 46.9 | 20 | 66 | 149,433 |
| 68Atascocita | B | 44.6 | 57.0 | 20 | — | 99,354 |
| 69Baytown | D | 44.3 | 43.5 | 20 | 64 | 85,205 |
| 70Corpus Christi | D | 43.5 | 45.6 | 28 | 36 | 317,419 |
| 71Port Arthur | F | 41.0 | 36.6 | 29 | 60 | 55,828 |
| 72Spring | D | 40.8 | 46.8 | 20 | — | 68,580 |
| 73Houston | D | 39.9 | 44.3 | 20 | 23 | 2,328,253 |
| 74Beaumont | F | 38.3 | 38.0 | 29 | 25 | 113,279 |
City outdoor enthusiasts scores use each city's own data, with the category weights rescaled over the categories the city has; outdoor access has no city-level measure and is left out.
Compare: States with Similar Outdoor Enthusiasts Rankings
Also See: Texas for Other Lifestyles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Texas a good state for outdoor enthusiasts?
Texas ranks #45 out of 50 for outdoor enthusiasts with a persona-weighted score of 26.6/100. Its strongest relevant category is Affordability (74/100) and its weakest is Outdoor Access (5/100).
What is the best city for outdoor enthusiasts in Texas?
Cedar Park ranks #1 in Texas for outdoor enthusiasts with a score of 71.9/100, followed by Round Rock and Georgetown.
What factors are most important for outdoor enthusiasts in Texas?
Rankings weighted toward outdoor access (parks, public land, recreation), environmental quality, safety, health infrastructure, and affordable housing — for those who prioritize access to nature and an active lifestyle.