Houston, Texas City of Excitement Texas won its independence from Mexico at a battle fought here in 1836; the city became the capital of the Republic of Texas... Population: 4,178,000  |  Average Home Price: $125,000  |  Precipitation: 48"  |  Snow: 0"

San Antonio, Texas Three Centuries of Culture Cobblestone walkways wind past restaurants and shops along this city's famous Paseo del Rio, or RiverWalk… Population: 1,592,000  |  Average Home Price: $117,000  |  Precipitation: 30"  |  Snow: 1"

Tampa, Florida Paradise on the Bay This Florida town's annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest includes a parade, an arts festival, and a "pirate invasion"… Population: 2,396,000  |  Average Home Price: $161,000  |  Precipitation: 49"  |  Snow: 0"

Orlando, Florida Florida’s Entertainment Capital In this entertainment mecca, you can wrestle alligators at Gatorland or have lunch with Mickey Mouse… Population: 1,645,000  |  Average Home Price: $152,000  |  Precipitation: 50"  |  Snow: 0"

Phoenix, Arizona Valley of the Sun This spot in the Sonoran Desert is the sixth largest city in the U.S. and boasts the largest (20,000 acres) municipal park in the world… Population: 3,252,000  |  Average Home Price: $165,000  |  Precipitation: 7"  |  Snow: 0"

Tucson, Arizona Sonoran Desert Oasis Bicycling magazine ranked this Arizona city among the top three cities in North America for cycling… Population: 844,000  |  Average Home Price: $131,000  |  Precipitation: 11"  |  Snow: 0"

West Palm Beach, Florida The Gold Coast This famous Florida spot hosts "Sunfest," the state's largest music and art festival on the waterfront… Population: 1,131,000  |  Average Home Price: $176,000  |  Precipitation: 60"  |  Snow: 0"

Miami, Florida The Gold Coast This exciting Florida melting pot city draws on West Indian, Cuban, African, European and Native American heritages… Population: 2,256,000  |  Average Home Price: $213,000  |  Precipitation: 60"  |  Snow: 0"

Austin, Texas City of the Violet Crown This "Hill Country" capital boasts 12,000 acres of greenbelt and undeveloped land used for recreation… Population: 656,500  |  Average Home Price: $185,000  |  Precipitation: 31"  |  Snow: 1"

El Paso, Texas Where the Sun Always Shines This ultimate "Old Southwest" city actually has a minor-league ice hockey team, the Buzzards… Population: 564,000  |  Average Home Price: $109,000  |  Precipitation: 9"  |  Snow: 6"

Memphis, Tennessee Home of the Delta Blues This city's famous Beale Street gave birth to Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, and legends such as BB King and Elvis Presley… Population: 977,500  |  Average Home Price: $121,000  |  Precipitation: 49"  |  Snow: 3"

Chesapeake-Virginia Beach, Virginia The Southern Tidewater Region This Virginia beach town's annual Neptune Festival features sports competitions, an arts and crafts show, and a Grand Ball… Population: 624,000  |  Average Home Price: $165,000  |  Precipitation: 45"  |  Snow: 1"

Jacksonville, Florida Florida’s First Coast Here in Florida’s “youngest city” the median age is just 32… Population: 1,100,000  |  Average Home Price: $127,000  |  Precipitation: 54"  |  Snow: 0"

Dallas, Texas The Star of the Lone Star State Although one of the country's largest cities, this spot is the least densely populated metropolitan area in the world… Population: 3,519,000  |  Average Home Price: $150,000  |  Precipitation: 33"  |  Snow: 3"

Fort Worth, Texas Where the West Begins The first "washateria" (laundromat) opened in this town on April 18, 1934 with four machines… Population: 535,000  |  Average Home Price: $180,000  |  Precipitation: 32"  |  Snow: 3"

Norfolk, Virginia Heart of the Hampton Roads This spot was the only American city completely destroyed and rebuilt in the Revolutionary War; a British cannonball in St. Paul's Church wall is a reminder… Population: 1,551,000  |  Average Home Price: $132,000  |  Precipitation: 45"  |  Snow: 7"

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Big City on the Plains Located in the heart of America, visitors to this town can use water taxis to visit restaurants and shops in the famous Bricktown district… Population: 507,000  |  Average Home Price: $119,000  |  Precipitation: 32"  |  Snow: 9"

Louisville, Kentucky Home of the Kentucky Derby This beautiful river city was home to Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken… Population: 801,000  |  Average Home Price: $118,000  |  Precipitation: 43"  |  Snow: 17"

Brownsville, Texas On the Border, By the Sea This town at the southern tip of Texas began as Fort Brown, built to support the U.S. claim to the Rio Grande as a southern border… Population: 140,000  |  Average Home Price: $100,000  |  Precipitation: 25"  |  Snow: 0"

Birmingham, Alabama America’s Magic City This city is home to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame… Population: 921,000  |  Average Home Price: $157,000  |  Precipitation: 54"  |  Snow: 1"

McAllen, Texas City of Palms This lush spot in Rio Grande country is a birdwatcher's paradise, home each April to the Texas Tropics Nature Festival... Population: 106,000  |  Average Home Price: $111,500  |  Precipitation: 26"  |  Snow: 0"

Charlotte, North Carolina The Queen City Home to First Union and Bank of America, this spot is renowned as a financial center… Population: 1,335,000  |  Average Home Price: $185,000  |  Precipitation: 43"  |  Snow: 6"

Nashville, Tennessee Music City, U.S.A. Though best known for its music, this spot also boasts the Hermitage, home to Andrew Jackson, Americas first president from the wild "West"… Population: 545,500  |  Average Home Price: $147,000  |  Precipitation: 46"  |  Snow: 11"

Atlanta, Georgia The Best of the South This southern belle has more cellular phones per capita than any other US city... Population: 4,112,000  |  Average Home Price: $248,000  |  Precipitation: 51"  |  Snow: 2"