Port Arthur, Texas, has been ranked as one of the nation's least desirable small cities to live in, according to a recent report by WalletHub. Despite its status as an industrial hub with several major oil refineries, this Gulf Coast city near the Louisiana border and 90 miles east of Houston, earned low marks for factors that contribute to overall livability, landing in the second percentile.
WalletHub's analysis, featured in both the Houston Chronicle and Chron, included a comparison of more than 1,300 small cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. The study utilized 45 indicators of livability, such as housing costs, safety, education, health, and quality of life. Known for its booming petrochemical industry, Port Arthur's placement in the rankings suggests that its economic vitality isn't sufficiently counterbalancing drawbacks in the aforementioned areas of local concern.
With affordability being the lone bright spot in an otherwise lackluster report card, it's a sobering wake-up call for the city of about 55,000. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo added some context, stating to Chron, "Moving from a bustling metropolis to a small city could drastically cut down your cost of living. On top of that, the best small cities offer strong job markets, high-quality education, good health care, safe living conditions and plenty of local flair to help you achieve a high quality of life." However, while affordability has its merits, it alone cannot uplift Port Arthur's overall standing in the eyes of WalletHub's comprehensive study.
Texas didn't fare uniformly poorly in the study, with several other small cities in the region receiving more favorable rankings. Places like Lake Jackson, Rosenberg, and Conroe, all in the Houston area, managed to dodge the ignominious rankings that befell Port Arthur. Even amidst regional successes, Port Arthur's notable challenges with safety, education, and quality of life factors have made it a cautionary example of how economic strengths can be overshadowed by significant quality of life concerns, as indicated by WalletHub's findings.
