Houston Ranked Among Best Cities For Gamers

Houston has been ranked as the 17th best city in the country for gamers according to a new report from personal finance website WalletHub. WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 23 indicators of gamer-friendliness, including the average internet speed, video-game stores per capita, and number of esports tournaments, the organization said in a news release.

Houston ranked ahead of Anaheim, California, and behind Miami. The top cities were Seattle, Irvine, California, and Los Angeles.

"According to the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of male Americans aged 18-29 play video games “often” or “sometimes,” as do 49 percent of female Americans ages 18-29. And pro gaming, or “esports,” is growing into a viable career choice for those with the best mechanical skills. For example, the Overwatch League, run by Blizzard Entertainment, carries a $1 million prize pool and a minimum $50,000 salary for each player. The league entered its second season this year with eight new teams," WalletHub reported.

The report used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Yelp.com, Major League Gaming, Indeed.com, and e-Sports Earnings, among other sources.

A look at Houston's gaming lifestyle (1=Best; 50=Avg.)

• 31st – Video-Game Job Openings per Capita
• 47th – Internet Cost
• 46th – Video-Game Stores per Capita
• 34th – Arcades per Capita
• 16th – Number of Esports Tournaments