Looking to escape city life? These 10 suburbs offer the perfect blend of city accessibility, affordability, and a slower pace.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of home buyers are moving to the country’s most booming metropolitan areas. For those who don’t want to deal with the traffic and expense of big city living, there are the suburbs. These smaller cities and towns offer proximity to everything their larger neighbors have to offer, while oftentimes being safer, more affordable, and less crowded.
For those looking to move to a suburb—whether from out of the area or from the cities they border—we put together this ranking of the 10 best suburbs in America. We based our criteria on important factors including cost of living, education, and amenities. To rank these suburbs, we relied on data measuring how safe, affordable, and livable they are. Before we talk a bit about each suburb, let’s look at how we decided which were the best.
Our Methodology
We looked at the top 25 most populous cities in the country, then determined the three largest suburbs of each city for a total of 75 suburbs. Then, we ranked each suburb across the following criteria:
- Amenities (shopping, dining, entertainment)
- Cost of living (percent above or below national average)
- Crime (percent above or below national average)
- Education (student-to-teacher ratio compared to national average)
- Employment (income and unemployment compared to national average)
Once we had that information—from sources including the U.S. Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics—we were able to see how each city ranked in the individual criteria (between 1 to 75, with 1 being best) and also on average to give them an overall score. Here are the results.
1. Westerville, OH
A town of just over 40,000, Westerville—a suburb of Columbus, OH—is one of the safest of the 75 places we surveyed for this ranking. Its crime rate of 1,897 per 100,000, put it at 26 percent below the national average (it’s 49 percent below the rest of Ohio).
The town also scored well in terms of available amenities, education (with one teacher for every 19 students), and median household income (at over $86,000 it’s significantly higher than the $48,000 Ohio median). The cost of living in Westerville is also reasonable at just 3 percent above the national average.
2. Plano, TX
As our best suburb in Texas—there are four in the top 10—Plano is also the largest city on our ranking at just over 288,000 residents. Despite that (much) larger population, the violent crime rate in this suburb of Dallas is 139 per 100,000, placing it 64 percent below the national average and well below the rest of Texas (411 per 100,000 residents).
One of Texas’s most affluent cities, Plano has a high median household income of $92,000. Its cost of living is also higher than the national average, but homes are relatively affordable with a median home price of approximately $345,000.
3. Georgetown, TX
This Austin, TX suburb is home to 47,400 Texans who enjoy its low crime rate and low cost of living. In terms of the former, there are 1,746 crimes there annually per 100,000 people, which is 45 percent below the national average (and 42 percent below the Texas average). For the latter, the cost of living there is 8.8 percent lower than the national average and only .4 percent higher than the average for the state.
The secret’s out about Georgetown. This Austin, TX, city is one of the fastest growing suburbs in America. In 2010, it was home to 47,400 Texans. By 2019, that number exploded to 79,600 who have flocked to this town to enjoy its low crime rate and low cost of living. In terms of the former, the crime rate is 58 percent below the national average. For the latter, the cost of living there is on par with the national average and the median home price is $323,000.
Education in Georgetown is also highly rated, with a student to teacher ratio of 15-to-1, which is slightly better than the national ratio of 16-to-1.
4. Round Rock, TX
The second Austin suburb in our top 10 is another fast-growing city and home to Dell computers. The over 133,000-resident-strong Round Rock boasts a crime rate that is 19 percent lower than the national average. At $80,637, the median household income in Round Rock is higher than the national average of $61,937. The median home price is an affordable $302,180.
Residents love the opportunities for outdoor activities thanks to its many award-winning parks and nature preserves, and its rich history as a post-Civil War cattle-driving town. It also has a very highly regarded school system.
5. Cedar Park, TX
Texas’s representation on our list wraps up with yet another Austin suburb and another one of America’s fastest-growing cities. With a crime rate 48 percent lower than the national average, Cedar Park’s almost 80,000 residents can rest assured that they’re in a safe city.
They also enjoy good classroom sizes with a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio and low unemployment compared to the national average. The cost of living in the city is not quite as low as its other Texan counterparts on the list, but is still lower than the national average. Its median household income is a whopping $101,845, way above the national average and the rest of Texas, but they still enjoy relatively affordable housing with a median home price of approximately $340,000.
6. Matthews, NC
The first of two North Carolina suburbs on our top 10, Matthews isn’t quite as safe as the cities we’ve talked about thus far. Its property crime rate is 31 percent above the national average, but its violent crime rate is 47 percent lower.
Thankfully for its residents this quaint, charming town just 25 minutes outside of Charlotte did better in other areas. One of them is the cost of living, where it is 3 percent below the national average. Median household income is also quite high at $78,900 while median home prices are relatively low at around $304,000.
7. Cornelius, NC
With a little over 30,000 residents, the second of Charlotte suburbs to earn a spot on our top 10 is much lower than the national average in terms of crime; both property and violent crime are over 50 percent lower than the rest of the US.
Cornelius’s cost of living is on par with the rest of America, but its median household income is a lot higher at around $88,000. This charming town is a destination for city folks thanks to its location alongside Lake Norman and beautiful parks.
8. Newton, MA
One of the safest suburbs on our list with a crime rate that is 70 percent lower than the nation and a violent crime rate that is a whopping 83 percent lower.
However, that safety does come with a price. While not nearly as exorbitant as Cupertino, the cost of living in Newton is 84 percent higher than the national average, which makes it second only to Cupertino on our list in terms of expense. A median household income of $139,696 helps alleviate the burden. And while the median home price is over $1 million, it boasts a highly rated public school system and the best student-teacher ratio in our top 10 at 12-to-1.
9. Germantown, TN
Just making the top 10 US suburbs, Memphis, TN, has 39,161 residents and is comparable with Newton as the safest with a violent crime rate 80 percent lower than the national average. While its property crime rate is higher than Newton, it’s still 30 percent below the rest of the nation.
Germantown’s cost of living is 9 percent higher than the national average—but its median household income is almost double the rest of the country at just over $116,000. With great schools, a rich history, and beautiful parks, Germantown is a great suburb to call home.
10. Cupertino, CA
Home to Apple, Cupertino, CA, is the only Northern California city—a suburb of San Jose—to appear in our top 10. This city of just over 59,000 people can best be described as affluent, and residing there comes at a premium—its cost of living is 144 percent above the national average. However, it’s one of the safest cities in our top 10 with a violent crime rate that’s 69 percent below the national average.
Cupertino’s residents have serious earning power. At over $163,000, the median household income there is more than double the national average. But they need every cent. With a median home value of (hold on to your hats) over $2.2 million, living there isn’t cheap. It was that high cost of living and its poor student-to-teacher ratio (23-to-1) that put this technology mecca in 10th place.
some of these listed are not my favorite.
Relocated to a major metropolitan area after spending 40+ years in Memphis/Germantown and there are more suburban cities in the area I live in that have lower crime rates, better amenities, better schools, and lower costs of living than Germantown but were excluded due to the methodology in surveying the suburbs around the 25 largest cities. Very flawed approach to the ranking here! Wonder how all those Germantown residents are feeling now that many of those schools are recommended to stay in the combined city/county system there?
I too am a little surprised by the rankings and as a teacher I took notice that they listed the student-teacher ratio for most of the top ten but not for Germantown. My school’s ratio average 26-1.
Germantown TN is a great place to live and raise a family. This is a fair ranking. OK so 3 schools will stay with SCS, but parents will have the option of moving to other school in the Germantown system or staying where they are. Plus Germantown High will become an optional school.
Camden, NJ…….Google it…..one of the highest crime rates in the U.S.A. ……something is very wrong with this list!
It’s impossible taking this seriously considering there’s no such place as “White Haven, TN.” There’s an inner city neighborhood called Whitehaven in Memphis, but it’s not incorporated. Whoever write this doesn’t seem to comprehend that Memphis has suburbs in Arkansas and Mississippi. Our largest suburb is Southaven, MS.
whoever “wrote”.
Thank you for trying to correct me, but I meant shot at. Getting shot at and getting shot are 2 different things. Shot at means someone tried to shoot you but they missed therefore you did not get shot. You were only shot at!
Thanks, pal. Spellchecking doesn’t change the fact that this ranking is silly. In considering Memphis, it invents a place and ignores it’s largest suburb. Not exactly an exhausting work of journalism.
born&raised in westerville great place to live lots of work&business oportunities
Georgetown and Round Rock are towns that have been such pretty near as long as Austin has. Lovely communities they are, but they are NOT suburbs of Austin but towns in their own right and should be respected as such. I suspect several of the others on this list are the same. Just because a city grows out and engulfs an incorporated town doesn’t magically turn that town into a suburb.
Exactly what I thought. I lived in Georgetown for 4 years and did NOT consider it a suburb of Austin! Williamson Co. is known for it’s conservative, tough law enforcement, so it’s not surprising to read the crime rate is low. but me, I prefer to live to the west in Dripping Springs, TX.
And Whitehaven should not be listed on a top list of anything, except maybe one the top list of best places to get shot at!!!!!!
places to get shot, not places to get shot at!
I cannot believe Georgetown, TX is number 3. The only thing this old crummy town pushes is it’s old courthouse and a few overpriced antique stores. It’s not a suburb of Austin, being 40 miles away. There is ONE good Mexican restaurant and a few other comfort food places, but the Outbacks/Mac Grills/Red Lobsters/ etc. are in Round Rock. The only entertainment theater is an overpriced movie house. There are also no Dunkin/Donuts/Einstein Bagels, etc. It’s BORING.
This foodie says that there are actually several good places to eatwith a variety of foods in Georgetown. Of course, they aren’t chains, but for someone really interested in the quality of the food, being a chain is a negative, not a plus. Wildfire, Ruby K’s, Studebaker’s, several Mexican restaurants, Dia Thai, The Hollow French Brasserie, Gumbos, Hard Tails for burgers, Walburg Restaurant and Biergarten and Dale’s Essenhaus just moments away in Walburg and, of course, if chains really are the end of the world for you, there are quite a few just 5 or 10 minutes up the road in north Round Rock, though Jack Allen’s Kitchen at the very northern tip of Round Rock/southern tip of Georgetown is a better, albeit more expensive, bet. No Dunkin Donuts, but several different donut stores – Shipley’s and a few others. City Lights theater is a multi-screen cinema; are you perhaps thinking of The Palace, with live plays? Frankly, if you can’t find something to do in Central Texas, including Georgetown, for entertainment, you don’t know how to throw a rock because that’s all it takes if you don’t want it spoon fed to you.
I agree with TexasHorseLady. Georgetown is a great place to live. For a small town there is always something to do. Downtown on the Square there are art shows, Christmas Stroll, Market Day, Chilsom Trail Days, Ladies Night Out, First Friday…and that’s just what’s happening in November and December. We share events with Round Rock on our southern border and Austin, which is only 20 miles away, offers UT sports, more music than you can imagine and the big city amenities. In addition the area is full of trails and outdoor activties for all.
I think your cost of living should include our ~3% property taxes every year, 8.25% sales tax in this city, and hundreds of dollars a month in utilities even if you are prudent with power, gas, and water usage. Don’t even mention the traffic which keeps getting worse. I think your cost of living should include our ~3% property taxes every year, 8.25% sales tax in this city, and hundreds of dollars a month in utilities even if you are prudent with power, gas, and water usage. Don’t even mention the traffic which keeps getting worse.
Nancy, So glad you feel that way cause Georgetown is growing really fast and we sure don’t need any people who don’t recognize the true gem that Georgetown is to the majority of us.