A free Fourth of July festival will take place at Cat Hollow Park, which will include music, a foam pit, inflatable slides, crafts and more. ANNA VAN ECK FOR ROUND ROCK LEADER
Mortgage company SmartAsset.com looked at 87 cities in Texas with a population of 25,000 people or larger and ranked them for best place to raise a family. It looked at poverty rate, monthly housing cost, medium income, housing appreciation rates, graduation rates, students taking the Advance Placement exams and percentage that got a 3 or above on those tests, percent of the population younger than 20, unemployment rate and crime rates.
How did Austin fare? Not on the list. But Leander, Round Rock and Georgetown are.
Leander was No. 1. The study sites education opportunities: About 33 percent of students take at least one AP exam and 73 percent of those scored a 3 or higher.
Georgetown was No. 8 for its growth in housing appreciation and growth of the city, but it does get dinged for having one of the highest property tax rates.
Round Rock was No. 9 for having the second lowest housing costs in the Top 10, and for its graduation rates and education achievements.
Also in the Top 10:
2. Frisco, Texas
3. Southlake, Texas
4. McKinney, Texas
5. Mansfield, Texas
6. Grapevine, Texas
7. Keller, Texas
10. Pearland, Texas
What do you think about this list?
