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    Worst Places To Live In Texas

    It's the pits: 3 of Top 10 Worst Places To Live In Texas are in Houston area, new survey says

    Elizabeth Rhodes
    Jun 22, 2015 | 10:45 am
    Texas flag flying with blue sky in background
    According to HomeSnacks ranking, Jacksonville is statistically the worst place to live in the entire state of Texas.
    Photo courtesy of AFlags

    Here at CultureMap, we like to keep you updated on the best things about Houston and the Lone Star State. But sometimes, we have to look at the darker side where we don't rate as well.

    Like the cities in Texas that are the absolute pits.

    A new ranking from HomeSnacks analyzed the 238 most populous cities in the state to come up with a list of the 10 Worst Places to Live in Texas.

    Using FBI crime data, census information, Bureau of Labor statistics and Sperling's Best Places, the site assessed cities based on population density, unemployment rates, median income, housing vacancy rates, education quality, commute times, crime rates and weather conditions.

    So where is the No. 1 worst place to live in Texas?

    So where is the No. 1 worst place to live in Texas? According to the ranking, it's Jacksonville in east Texas. With a population of just over 14,500, the city has a high crime rates (24th most dangerous in Texas) and features one of the lowest student expenditures (the amount of money spent per student) in the entire state.

    No. 2 on the list is Port Arthur, where one in five homes is vacant and unemployment rates are nearly twice the national average.

    Three of the Top 10 worst cities, according to the survey, are in the Houston area, although we might beg to ask, "What do they know?"

    Tomball, located on the northern edge of Houston's suburbs, came in at No. 4 on the list with long commute times and a high home vacancy rate, And according to the survey, Tomball ranks almost dead last in terms of sunny days in Texas (huh?).

    With a 38 percent vacancy rate (meaning one out of three homes is boarded up or unused), the beach town of Galveston is ranked No. 7 on the list. The island city also has high crime rates, a low median household income and is one of the least sunniest places in Texas (yes, that's what they say).

    Freeport came in at No. 9, largely because students receive extremely low support, as spending per student and teacher-to-student ratios are far below average. "And when 1 in 5 homes aren’t occupied, that’s just a bad sign," the survey says.

    Others in the Top 10 are Donna (3), Mercedes (5), Vidor (6), Weslaco (8) and Huntsville (10).

    Among large Texas cities, Houston is ranked worst at No. 33, behind Beaumont (!) at 62. Dallas is No. 49, Fort Worth is No. 79, San Antonio is No. 87 and Austin is No. 147.

    See where your city ranks here.

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    New Mexican restaurant sizzles into Houston's 5 most popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Feb 7, 2026 | 11:00 am
    Johnny Ritas Cocina y Cantina restaurant exterior
    Photo by Hasan Yousef
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    Editor's note: It's time to catch up on the top Houston news of the week, including restaurant comings and goings and a local suburb that is booming with wealth. Read on for our five most popular stories, then plan your weekend via this guide.

    1. New restaurant shakes up Houston with Oaxacan and Tex-Mex classics. A Houston hospitality veteran has opened a new Mexican restaurant in Lindale Park. Johnny Ritas Cocina y Cantina debuted Friday, February 6.

    2. Houston suburb has top-20 highest rate of new wealthy residents in U.S. A new income study has revealed Houston's wealthiest aren't settling down in Pearland anymore — they've set their sights on Conroe, instead.

    3. Arizona Mexican restaurant is the latest to shutter at the Galleria. A Mexican-inspired restaurant in the Galleria has quietly closed. Blanco Cocina + Cantina has shaken its last margarita.

    4. Veteran French chef blows into Bellaire with a new neighborhood bistro. One of Houston’s most well-regarded French chefs has opened a new restaurant in Bellaire. Bistro Mistral is the latest project from chef David Denis.

    Bistro Mistral French onion soup Bistro Mistral serves classic fare like French onion soup. Courtesy of Bistro Mistral

    5. Houston sushi spot's Dubai outpost named to prestigious 50 best list. The Dubai location of a Houston-based Japanese restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants in the Middle East. Kokoro ranks No. 15 on the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

    most popular storiesopeningsclosingsmexican foodgalleria-houstonbellaireconroehot headlines
    news/city-life

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