Austin, Nashville, Denver, Seattle & Miami Compared by Data (2026)
June 25, 2026
Five of America's hottest metros, scored on crime, schools, and home value. See how Austin, Nashville, Denver, Seattle, and Miami stack up.
Among five of America's fastest-growing metros, Austin, Texas leads on the NeighborScore average. Across its ZIP codes Austin averages 67 overall, ahead of Miami at 43, Denver at 42, Seattle at 41, and Nashville at 34. But the headline number hides very different strengths and weaknesses, so it pays to read the components.
How to read these averages
Two of the three components are state-relative: crime is scored against each ZIP's state average and value against the state median home price. That means a metro's crime and value scores compare it with its own state, not with the other cities here. The school component is the most directly comparable across states. With that caveat, the contrasts are still revealing.
Austin and Nashville: the Sun Belt split
Across 39 ZIP codes, Austin averages a strong 94 crime score and 61 schools, though its value score is just 31 — Austin homes run well above the Texas median. Nashville, at 34 overall across 25 ZIPs, scores lower on every axis, with a 25 crime score reflecting higher reported crime than the Tennessee average.
Denver, Seattle, and Miami
The West Coast and South cluster close together. Denver (42 overall, 27 ZIPs) edges out Seattle (41, 23 ZIPs), which posts the group's second-best school average at 64. Miami (43, 26 ZIPs) leads this trio, helped by a 70 school average, even as its crime score sits at 25 relative to Florida.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Austin's crime score beat Miami's by so much?
Because crime is measured against the state. Austin's ZIPs report less crime than the Texas average, while Miami's report more than the Florida average — the scores compare each to a different baseline, not to each other.
Which metro is best for families?
On the school component, Miami (70) and Seattle (64) lead this group, but averages hide neighborhood-level variation. Check individual ZIP pages and read how NeighborScore works before drawing conclusions. NeighborScore is a research tool, not relocation advice.