The city of McAllen has fared well in recent national surveys when it comes to best communities of its size for places to do business and ranking high for public safety.

This week the city learned of another distinction. The home-search website Ownerly.com lauded McAllen in ranking it at the top of its Best Zoom Town Cities. The ranking cites affordable housing, high-speed Internet accessibility, outdoor green spaces and good childcare options. The city’s overall rating is third nationally, but for cities between 100,00 to 240,000, McAllen was ranked number one for having the best environment for remote working.

Working and learning from home became a must for workers and students across the country in 2020. During this time, remote working became a necessity, not a perk. The establishment of free Wi-Fi hotspots throughout McAllen was a key factor in Ownerly’s high rating of the city. McAllen offers widespread community access to broadband services for businesses, students, and residents at large. 

McAllen wisely used federal stimulus funding to boost its broadband availability to more sections of the city. Remote learning and working could then be more easily accessed. 

“We have always known that McAllen is a great place to live, work and play,” said McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez. “This designation highlights the best McAllen has to offer its residents and the business community, to help accommodate and promote a remote working environment.”

Ownerly looked at rent and housing prices, cost of living and safety data along with free Wi-Fi coverage in its analysis of 445 U.S. cities. Other metrics used by Ownerly in devising its ranking of cities were the cost and availability of childcare, restaurants and co-working spaces. McAllen hit the mark on nearly all of the key measurements, with broadband access, a lower cost of living, and good food choices and lower restaurant costs topping the Ownerly list of considerations.