Real Estate News

Where Houston lands among best and worst real estate markets in the U.S.

North Texas cities outshine Houston on this report.

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Texas may be home to America's hottest housing markets, but Houston isn't one of them. According to a new ranking from financial site WalletHub, Houston is among the worst real estate markets in the state — and the U.S. — for 2018.

To determine the best and worst real estate markets, WalletHub compared 300 U.S. cities of various sizes across 22 key indicators of attractiveness and economic strength for housing markets. The data ranged from appreciation of home prices to local job growth.

The North Texas trio of Frisco-McKinney-Allen came in at Nos. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, thanks in great part to their high rankings for affordability and economic strength. Houston, meanwhile, appeared at No. 215 on the overall list. Only two other Texas cities were worse: Amarillo (No. 242) and Corpus Christi (No. 277).

Houston had an overall score of 54.71, with rankings of No. 206 in the "real estate market" dimension and No. 219 in the "affordability and economic environment" dimension. By comparison, No. 1 Frisco boasted an overall score of 75.06, taking the No. 1 spot for "affordability" and the No. 8 spot for "real estate."

WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez points out that in Frisco, almost 15 percent of the homes were built between 2010 and 2016, contributing to the suburb’s ranking as the top real estate market in the U.S.

No matter how you slice it, North Texas is tops for real estate. There were five other DFW cities in the top 25: Richardson (No. 7), Denton (No. 10), Carrollton (No. 12), Fort Worth (No. 15), and Irving (No. 21). And when broken down by size, Fort Worth was No. 3 among large U.S. cities; McKinney was No. 1 among midsize cities; and Frisco, Allen, and Richardson were in the top five among small cities.

In other major markets in Texas, Austin was No. 36, Dallas was No. 84, and San Antonio was No. 173 on the overall list. Austin ranked eighth among large U.S. cities, with Dallas at No. 17, San Antonio at No. 36, and Houston at No. 47 out of 63.

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This affluent Houston enclave is the richest small town in Texas

Facebook / City of Bellaire, Texas

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Affluent Houston neighbor Bellaire is cashing in as the richest small town in Texas for 2025, according to new study from GoBankingRates.

The report, "The Richest Small Town in Every State," used data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to determine the 50 richest small towns in America based on their median household income.

Of course, Houstonians realize that describing Bellaire as a "small town" is a bit of misnomer. Located less than 10 miles from downtown and fully surrounded by the City of Houston, Bellaire is a wealthy enclave that boasts a population of just over 17,000 residents. These affluent citizens earn a median $236,311 in income every year, which GoBankingRates says is the 11th highest household median income out of all 50 cities included in the report.

The average home in this city is worth over $1.12 million, but Bellaire's lavish residential reputation often attracts properties with multi-million-dollar price tags.

Bellaire also earned a shining 81 livability score for its top quality schools, health and safety, commute times, and more. The livability index, provided by Toronto, Canada-based data analytics and real estate platform AreaVibes, said Bellaire has "an abundance of exceptional local amenities."

"Among these are conveniently located grocery stores, charming coffee shops, diverse dining options and plenty of spacious parks," AreaVibes said. "These local amenities contribute significantly to its overall appeal, ensuring that [residents'] daily needs are met and offering ample opportunities for leisure and recreation."

Many popular Houston restaurants are setting their sights on this wealthy enclave. Detroit-style pizzamakers Gold Tooth Tony’s opened its second pizza joint in Bellaire in 2024. And most recently, Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant Candente announced it would open a second location just down the street from Gold Tooth Tony's at 5101 Bellaire Blvd.

Earlier in 2025, GoBankingRates ranked Bellaire as the No. 23 wealthiest suburb in America, and it's no stranger to being named on similar lists comparing the richest American cities.

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