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    Seeing Blue in a Sea of Red

    National study declares Austin the second-best city in nation for liberals, Houston ranks 15th

    Katey Psencik Outka
    Sep 16, 2016 | 9:03 am
    Austin aerial view downtown skyline
    Only Seattle is a better place for liberals to live.
    Austin, Texas - Your City Government/Facebook

    Austin has long been considered the lone blue dot in the middle of a sea of Texas red when it comes to politics. And now our state capitol ranks as one of the top spots for liberals to live in the country: No. 2 in the United States and No. 1 in Texas.

    Liberal-leaning Houstonians are making their mark as well with the Bayou City ranking No. 15 in the nation as a place where Hilz and Bernie fans can feel at home. That said, three Texas cities are tops for conservatives with Midland leading the red zone nationally.

    SmartAsset wanted to see which cities in America were the best for liberals and which cities were best for conservatives. The study looked at the local economy, cost of living, population growth, education growth, and upward mobility. A political ideology score was included to differentiate between cities that were simply nice to live in and those that liberals or conservatives would prefer.

    Austin ranks highly on the economy and education scales, with a strong economy and a highly educated local population. Austin has the fifth-lowest unemployment rate and the fifth-highest percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree (33.86 percent of the population) compared to the rest of the cities in the study.

    While Austin isn't quite as liberal as some of the other left-leaning cities in the study, it's by far the most liberal in Texas. In fact, three Texas cities rank among the 10 best in the nation for conservatives. Midland takes the No. 1 spot on that list, with Amarillo coming in third and Lubbock tenth. The rankings make sense too. According to the study, Midland hasn't voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since Harry Truman in 1948.

    Austin is second only to Seattle on the list of American cities fit for liberals, but a few other Texas hubs make the top 25. Fort Worth ranks No. 18 and Dallas, No. 21.

    politicsbestsreports
    news/city-life

    Hot Headlines

    New owner of Texas Renaissance Festival revealed in our top 5 stories

    CultureMap Staff
    May 17, 2025 | 11:01 am
    Amid scandals covered by multiple documentaries, the nation's largest Renaissance festival opens for its golden season.
    Photo courtesy of the Texas Renaissance Festival
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week. Details emerge on the new owner of the Texas Renaissance Festival, plus high profile restaurant openings are on the horizon. Catch up on our five most popular stories below, then visit this guide to plan your weekend.

    1. Winner of Ren Fest lawsuit plans to keep the event mostly unchanged. Following a recent court ruling, the Texas Renaissance Festival will soon be under new ownership, but much will remain the same as it has for the last half century. CultureMap has the details.

    2. Houston's most pretty-in-pink restaurant quietly closes in Upper Kirby. PostScript, the posh pink restaurant that opened to considerable fanfare in early 2024, has closed for good.

    3. Massive, German-inspired beer garden coming to new Energy Corridor project. One of Houston’s most successful bar operators is bringing his talents to the Energy Corridor with a new beer garden slated for early 2026.

    Katy Beer Garden outdoor patioThe new beer garden will be similar to Katy Beer Garden. Photo by Eric Sandler

    4. Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse. Mark your calendar for Houston’s newest steakhouse, opening May 21.

    5. Luxury bus service Vonlane adds new departure from The Woodlands. The Texas-based luxury motor coach will roll out daily service between Dallas and The Woodlands in June.

    hot-headlinestexas renaissance festivalclosingsopeningsbeer gardenenergy corridorsteakhousevonlanetravelmost popular stories
    news/city-life
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