Is Lubbock Still A Good Place To Raise A Family in 2026?

If you've lived in Lubbock for years, I guarantee you've either overheard or actively been in a conversation that goes something like this:

"You live in Lubbock?"

"Well, it's a great place to raise a family." Or, alternately, "My family lives here."

It seems that "family" is the go-to excuse for living here, which I'm guilty of saying myself, but also find obnoxious- there's plenty else to love about my hometown. Setting that aside, let's ask this question: Is it really still a good place to raise a family?

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What Makes Lubbock A Good Place To Raise A Family?

Affordability.

Our cost of living is below average in several categories, from rent to gas. We also have a decently affordable housing market, so putting down roots here is desirable, and then you're trapped for 30 years. Just kidding, I do love it here, and I really love my house that I can actually afford to live in.

The Commute.

For me personally, this might be #1. While public transportation is shaky at best, and riding a bike precarious, if you can and do drive, it's tremendously easier than in a large city. If I lived in a large city, I simply would not own a car. Here, it can be a real pleasure to drive 15 minutes to explore a different part of town, or to go out to the "country" to see the sunset. I drive everywhere, and with my hybrid, I only get gas about once a month.

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Education.

Knowing your kids have good educational options, particularly as they enter college age, is a great reason to raise a family here, especially if you want to keep those kids close. Personally, I cannot recommend the South Plains College to Texas Tech track enough- both schools saved me a tremendous amount of money on my degree. Even as a grown adult, there are educational opportunities to improve your career track, or pivot into a trade or the medical field.

The Culture. 

Don't you side-eye me on this one. We do have several wonderful cultural amenities, although I do agree that we can and should improve on what we have. However, the first step is supporting what we do have. There's certainly no lack of folks attending the First Friday Art Trail (can we improve parking for that?) and the weekly Wofforth's Farmers Market. Thanks to Buddy Holly Hall, we have many different types of touring acts come through Lubbock- from comedy to concerts, musicals, children's events and more.

Where We Can Improve

I've already hinted at a few things- improving public transportation is key among them. We also need to reduce crime and provide more affordable amenities, especially for families. Sometimes, the "having something to do" does improve the crime problem. Better-paying jobs would also help, but I do feel like Lubbock is doing its best to attract quality employers.

Like anywhere on Earth, Lubbock is 90% what you make of it. No, we can't add majestic mountains or other natural features, but if you're like me, you prefer the prairie anyway. Prairie dogs know the importance of family, and they choose to live here, so I won't ignore their wisdom.