These two North Texas suburbs were named among the ‘most livable’ cities in the U.S.

To develop the rankings, SmartAsset evaluated 100 of the largest U.S. cities on their respective unemployment rates, crime statistics, walkability and housing costs as a percentage of income.

Plano ranked as the No. 5 most livable city in the U.S., and Irving grabbed the No. 19 spot. Only two other Texas cities — Laredo (16) and El Paso (18) — made the list.

To develop the rankings, SmartAsset evaluated 100 of the largest U.S. cities on their respctive unemployment rates, crime statistics, walkability and housing costs as a percentage of income.

“People choose where to live based on many factors — availability of jobs, location of family, and the weather all come into play for most folks. Something some Americans may not remember to take into consideration, though, is the livability of a city,” the study’s authors wrote, while acknowledging the difficulty of quantifying something as abstract as “livability.”

Housing costs in Plano and Irving represent on average 20% and 22% of residents’ income, respectively, and both cities scored in the top 10 for lowest rates of violent crime. Unemployment rates in September 2020 were 6.5% in Plano and 8.2% in Irving.