Best Counties in Texas — 2026 Rankings
254 of 254 counties scored across 12 dimensions
254
254 scored
42/100
composite score
71.3/100
18.1—71.3
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Texas
Texas Falls Just Below the National Livability Median
With an average composite score of 41.9, Texas sits more than eight points below the national median of 50.0. This score reflects a wide disparity across its 254 counties, placing the state in the lower half of national rankings for overall quality of life.
Moderate Living Costs and Environmental Stability Drive Scores
Texas performs best in climate resilience with a risk score of 51.0 and maintains a solid cost-of-living score of 50.4. The state also shows competitive earning power, posting an income score of 48.4 that aligns closely with national norms.
High Tax Burdens and Health Access Limit Growth
The state average is weighed down by a low tax score of 24.9 and a health score of 25.0. These figures highlight significant pressures from local property taxes and a healthcare infrastructure that struggles to meet the needs of a growing population.
Rural Powerhouses Lead the State’s Top Performers
Crockett County leads Texas with an impressive 71.3 composite score, driven by high marks in affordability and income. Borden and King counties follow closely, with King County achieving a nearly perfect cost score of 97.3 despite limited data on local tax rates.
A Strong Fit for Cost-Conscious, Risk-Averse Residents
Texas offers a compelling profile for individuals seeking affordable housing and lower environmental risk compared to coastal peers. While high local taxes and health metrics remain hurdles, the state remains a viable destination for workers prioritizing income potential and climate stability.
All County Rankings in Texas
Search, sort, and filter all 254 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 254 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crockett County | 71.3 | 97 | 95.7 | 85.6 | 63.5 | 9.6 | 78.9 | 94.2 | 86 | 35.1 | 29.9 | 15.6 | |
| 2 | Borden County | 67 | 89.1 | 88.8 | 51.3 | 41.9 | 59.4 | 73.5 | 94.3 | 0 | 39.3 | 22.8 | 20.5 | |
| 3 | King County | 65.5 | N/A | 97.3 | 66.8 | 97.5 | 3.9 | 50.1 | 99.7 | 0.5 | 43 | 23.4 | 24.7 | |
| 4 | Kinney County | 64.9 | 17 | 80.5 | 57.8 | 93.5 | 35.4 | 80.7 | 97.8 | 86 | 24.1 | 29.8 | 16.9 | |
| 5 | Mason County | 64.5 | 51.9 | 68.7 | 63.7 | 93.3 | 32.7 | 78 | 89.1 | 2.1 | 30.6 | 30.9 | 37.1 | |
| 6 | Roberts County | 64.4 | 37.7 | 71.4 | 57.3 | 91.9 | 44.1 | 57.3 | 96.9 | 86 | 52.5 | 28.9 | 44.7 | |
| 7 | Terrell County | 64 | 52.9 | 92.1 | 9.4 | 97.5 | 34.4 | 47.4 | 99.6 | 20.6 | 26.8 | 34 | 15 | |
| 8 | Jeff Davis County | 63.3 | 80.9 | 54.3 | 0.5 | 86.6 | 37.4 | 72.2 | 97.1 | 31.3 | 55.5 | 35.8 | 30.9 | |
| 9 | Mills County | 61.7 | 46.7 | 76.9 | 52.1 | 80.3 | 33.8 | 68.5 | 94.4 | 11.4 | 39 | 30.5 | ||
| 10 | Cottle County | 61.5 | 28.1 | 99.2 | 34.8 | 97.5 | 7.7 | 65 | 87.6 | 16.6 | 43.6 | 19.8 | 24.4 | |
| 11 | Kent County | 61.4 | 44.7 | 63 | 69.8 | 97.5 | 46.9 | 45.6 | 99 | 1.4 | 41.9 | 14.4 | 21.3 | |
| 12 | Archer County | 61.1 | 20 | 59.2 | 71.3 | 92.7 | 49.1 | 68.8 | 92.3 | 55 | 36.8 | 40.8 | 37.9 | |
| 13 | Dickens County | 60.3 | 18.4 | 84.7 | 15.4 | 97.5 | 19.6 | 65.9 | 86.4 | 86 | 48.8 | 25.5 | 28.6 | |
| 14 | Collingsworth County | 58.7 | 22.2 | 88.8 | 39.5 | 92.7 | 8.9 | 74.9 | 72.6 | 12.6 | 40.1 | 26.6 | 27.5 | |
| 15 | Hansford County | 57.9 | 8.7 | 68.8 | 62.4 | 89.2 | 32.9 | 78.3 | 58 | 45.9 | 51.2 | 31 | 39.2 | |
| 16 | Mitchell County | 57.9 | 3.6 | 93.3 | 27.8 | 94.6 | 15.8 | 68.5 | 80.3 | 45 | 39.4 | 23.6 | 21 | |
| 17 | Live Oak County | 57.8 | 46.5 | 61.2 | 22.5 | 85.9 | 26.4 | 77.3 | 66.3 | 53.4 | 16.3 | 31.4 | 17.6 | |
| 18 | Baylor County | 57.7 | 23.4 | 87.8 | 4.7 | 78.2 | 25.4 | 65.7 | 82.5 | 86 | 40.6 | 29.1 | 27 | |
| 19 | Glasscock County | 57.7 | 89.4 | 70.8 | 96.8 | 2.9 | 40.1 | 73.6 | 95.8 | 86 | 41.9 | 22.1 | 16.7 | |
| 20 | Culberson County | 57.6 | 48.4 | 65.4 | 4.9 | 97.5 | 10.7 | 63.8 | 88.4 | 34.7 | 59 | 18.5 | ||
| 21 | Kimble County | 57.6 | 22.9 | 66.2 | 56.5 | 88.3 | 36.6 | 74.3 | 67.9 | 4.6 | 31.6 | 32.3 | 25 | |
| 22 | Stonewall County | 57.6 | 18.6 | 90.6 | 42.9 | 97.5 | 18.6 | 47.8 | 96.2 | 1.3 | 39.5 | 22.7 | 23.1 | |
| 23 | Hall County | 57.5 | 25.1 | 95.4 | 9 | 73.5 | 20 | 82.5 | 65.4 | 0.8 | 48.5 | 20.7 | 24.2 | |
| 24 | Throckmorton County | 57.4 | 28.2 | 97.3 | 35.1 | 79.5 | 27.9 | 45.2 | 96.7 | 1.6 | 38.5 | 33.6 | 35.7 | |
| 25 | Hardeman County | 57.2 | 26.3 | 76.8 | 42.7 | 75.1 | 22.1 | 82.5 | 91.4 | 3.8 | 42.4 | 24.4 | 29.7 |
Crockett County
Borden County
King County
Kinney County
Mason County
Roberts County
Terrell County
Jeff Davis County
Mills County
Cottle County
Kent County
Archer County
Dickens County
Collingsworth County
Hansford County
Mitchell County
Live Oak County
Baylor County
Glasscock County
Culberson County
Kimble County
Stonewall County
Hall County
Throckmorton County
Hardeman County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Texas
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Texas.
What is the best county in Texas?
Crockett County is the top-ranked county in Texas with a CountyScore of 71.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Texas?
Texas has 254 counties in total. Of those, 254 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Texas?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Texas is 42/100. The national average is 50/100, so Texas counties score 8 points below the national average.
How does Texas compare to other states?
Texas's average county score of 42/100 is 8 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Texas counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Texas.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.