New Braunfels continues to earn recognition as one of the better small cities to call home, according to a new national study that also gave above-average marks to two nearby communities.
In WalletHub’s 2026 Best & Worst Small Cities in America report, New Braunfels landed in the 78th percentile, placing it ahead of roughly three-quarters of the 1,318 cities evaluated nationwide.
Nearby Canyon Lake and Cibolo also performed well, landing in the 62nd and 61st percentiles, respectively.
Sponsored by Bandit Homes
It’s no surprise that New Braunfels continues to earn recognition as one of the best small cities in America. With its Hill Country charm, strong sense of community, and quality of life, it’s a place more and more people are proud to call home.
And for those looking to put down roots here, our partners at Bandit Homes are helping families build homes that fit the way they want to live. Founded by New Braunfels locals Brady Jones and Tyler Vara, Bandit Homes specializes in custom and move-in-ready homes that combine beautiful design, quality craftsmanship, and thoughtful planning.
Their approach emphasizes clear communication, efficient construction, and building homes that will stand the test of time. Because in a community as special as New Braunfels, your home should be something special, too.
HOW NEW BRAUNFELS COMPARES
WalletHub examined cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000, evaluating each community using 45 different measures of livability.
Those measurements were divided into five categories:
- Affordability
- Economic health
- Education and health
- Quality of life
- Safety
Rather than assigning every city a traditional numerical ranking, WalletHub grouped communities into percentiles based on their overall performance. Cities in the 99th percentile represent the highest-performing 1% of those evaluated.
New Braunfels’ placement in the 78th percentile puts it comfortably above the midpoint nationally.
It’s also the third consecutive year that New Braunfels has finished ahead of Canyon Lake and Cibolo in the study.
NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES ARE MOVING UP
While New Braunfels maintained its lead among the three communities, Canyon Lake and Cibolo both showed improvement over their 2025 results.
Canyon Lake made the biggest jump, climbing from the 46th percentile last year to the 62nd percentile in 2026.
Cibolo also moved up, improving from the 56th percentile to the 61st.
The results put all three communities in the upper half of the small cities evaluated, although the report doesn’t establish which individual factors contributed most to their placements.
HOW OTHER TEXAS CITIES PERFORMED
No Texas community reached WalletHub’s highest 99th percentile this year.
Cedar Park and Allen tied for the state’s strongest showing, both landing in the 96th percentile. Other Texas communities that performed particularly well included Leander in the 93rd percentile, Flower Mound in the 91st, and Little Elm in the 87th.
Several other Central Texas communities also earned strong marks, including Georgetown in the 84th percentile.
Nationally, Lexington, Massachusetts, took the top spot, followed by Brookfield, Wisconsin, and Carmel, Indiana.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT SMALL CITY?
WalletHub’s study looks beyond population size or economic growth to consider factors that affect everyday life.
Housing affordability, employment opportunities, educational resources, health care, crime rates, and recreational amenities all contribute to the broader picture.
The idea is to identify communities that offer a strong quality of life without some of the challenges associated with larger metropolitan areas.
For New Braunfels, the recognition comes during a period of continued growth, with new residential developments, restaurants, businesses, and amenities changing the community.
Of course, growth also brings challenges, including traffic, housing costs, and the ongoing effort to maintain the character that makes New Braunfels appealing in the first place.
ANOTHER POSITIVE SIGN FOR NEW BRAUNFELS
No single national ranking can capture everything that makes a city a great place to live. What matters most to one resident, whether that’s affordability, schools, recreation, or proximity to family, may be different for someone else.
Still, New Braunfels’ continued performance in WalletHub’s annual study is another positive indicator for the community.
And with Canyon Lake and Cibolo both improving their standings, the latest results suggest that several communities in this part of Central Texas are holding their own against small cities across the country.
The full study, published September 29, 2026, is available on WalletHub’s website.