Texas has continued to make its mark as one of the best rental locations in the country, with several Texas cities making an appearance in a new national ranking. However, San Antonio has had a major drop-off from last year, falling out of the top 50.
The ranking, conducted by RentCafe in September 2026, used 20 different factors to rank 150 U.S. cities. Factors included housing and cost of living, growth of renter income, local economic performance, walkability, and access to social groups.
The factors were divided into three major categories: cost of living and housing, local economy, and quality of life.
McKinney Retains the Top Spot
Located in northern Dallas, McKinney came first yet again out of all the evaluated cities. The city was in third place for the cost of living and housing and ninth for the quality of life.
Among other factors that were considered while evaluating the city is its affordable renting, high-quality educational facilities, as well as plenty of parks. Recently, the city was recognized in a ranking of North Texas cities for children’s well-being.
Moreover, its ranking also demonstrates the strong position of several southern cities.
Seven Texas Cities Reach the Top 50
Texas had seven of the top cities in the national ranking. They were:
- Austin — No. 3
- Round Rock — No. 8
- Plano — No. 18
- San Marcos — No. 25
- Denton — No. 34
- Conroe — No. 39
- McKinney — No. 1
Other cities of Texas also found places on the rankings list but at lower positions like Dallas at #56 and Lubbock at #58.
San Marcos was distinguished in terms of housing and cost of living performance by being ranked as the number one city in the nation in this aspect.
San Antonio Drops Out of the Top 50
One of the most dramatic shifts that occurred this year was in relation to San Antonio.
The city fell 19 places from the previous year to No. 63, thus failing to make it into the top 50. While its category regarding housing and cost of living still held its ground and stayed at No. 25, its rankings in other categories were much worse.
San Antonio was at No. 126 in its local economy category and at No. 104 in quality of life category. This shift in its ranking was caused by poor performance in other categories despite its good housing and cost of living status.
This shift is an example of how rental city rankings are not always affected by the price of apartments alone.
Southern Cities Continue to Dominate
Thirty-seven of the top 50 cities in the ranking belong to the South region.
According to the findings by RentCafe, the factors that have enabled the Southern cities to do well include lower cost of living, growing rental stock, and growth of their economies. Examples of such cities include McKinney, Huntsville, and Austin.
The pattern is important for the potential renters since it highlights that good rental options are not restricted to the big cities of the country.
Other Texas Cities in the Ranking
Outside of the seven Texas cities that made the top 50, there were other communities that made the list but were positioned lower.
The city of Dallas was at position No. 56, followed by Lubbock at No. 58. Arlington took up the No. 107 spot, and Odessa and El Paso were in the 129th and 130th spots, respectively.
It is evident that there were differences between the housing rentals in the state of Texas. Even cities within the same state can make very different results considering certain criteria.
What the Ranking Means for Renters
It may be a good place to begin when comparing the rental markets, but the renters have to consider certain things depending on their situation.
The rent that you pay every month is not the total cost of living in the city. The cost of transportation, the availability of jobs, recreational areas, time taken for commuting to work, schools, and parks can all determine how costly renting becomes in a particular city.
It is better to compare neighborhoods and the places that you want to rent from the city and not just depend on the city ranking.
Conclusion
It is clear from the latest ranking of top rental cities that the Southern US cities have not lost their standing. Among the best cities for rentals across the nation comes McKinney, while Austin, Round Rock, Plano, San Marcos, Denton, and Conroe belong among the top 50 rental cities.
Another change is a sharp decline in rankings from the position of 19 in some cities, and one of those experiencing such decline was San Antonio. Though good in housing and cost of living, San Antonio did not rank well enough due to poor economic and quality of life rankings.
For tenants making a decision about where they are to rent their house, this information may prove helpful; however, rental costs, employment opportunities, transportation and other criteria are needed as well.
FAQs
Seven Texas cities appeared among the top 50: McKinney, Austin, Round Rock, Plano, San Marcos, Denton, and Conroe.
San Antonio fell 19 positions to No. 63. Its housing and cost-of-living ranking was No. 25, but its local economy ranked No. 126 and quality of life ranked No. 104, affecting its overall position.
The 2026 RentCafe ranking shows several Texas cities performing strongly across affordability, housing, economic conditions, and quality-of-life measures. However, the right rental market depends on a renter’s budget, employment situation, preferred location, and lifestyle needs.
